Gratitude After Adversity: The Obligation of Thanksgiving for Seafarers, Desert Travelers, the Recovered, and the Freed, Rooted in Psalm 107 (Berakhot 54b)
Appendix: Vulnerability and Longevity: Rav Yehuda's Teachings on Protection and Life-Extending Practices (Berakhot 54b)
I discuss the sugya soon before this one in my discussion here: “From Animal Attacks to Biblical Miracles: Blessings at the Sites of Supernatural Rescues (Berakhot 54a)”
See Hebrew Wikipedia, “Psalm 107” (תהילים ק"ז, section בית ב' – ה'), my translation:
The four sections at the center of the psalm (verses 4–32) describe four different types of "those redeemed by the Lord, whom He redeemed from the hand of the enemy": 'those who wander in the wilderness,' 'those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,' 'those who reach the gates of death,' and 'those who go down to the sea in ships.'
The Talmud (=our sugya) derives from these sections that "four are obligated to give thanks," and established the blessing of HaGomel (ברכת הגומל) for travelers, prisoners who were released, the sick who were healed, and seafarers who reached their destination (Berakhot 54b).
Outline
Gratitude After Adversity: The Obligation of Thanksgiving for Seafarers, Desert Travelers, the Recovered, and the Freed, Rooted in Psalm 107 (Berakhot 54b)
Seafarers
Desert Travelers
Recovered From Illness
Released Prisoners
Appendix: Vulnerability and Longevity: Rav Yehuda's Teachings on Protection and Life-Extending Practices (Berakhot 54b)
The Passage
Rav Yehuda, in the name of Rav, states that four categories of people must “give thanks” (להודות): seafarers, desert travelers, those who recover from illness, and those released from prison.1
The Talmud inteprets that the basis for this obligation is drawn from Psalm 107, which describes these scenarios and the gratitude owed to God for His salvation.
In each case, Psalm 107 concludes with the refrain of gratitude for God’s kindness2 and wondrous deeds for humanity.
אמר רב יהודה, אמר רב:
ארבעה צריכין להודות:
יורדי הים,
הולכי מדברות,
ומי שהיה חולה ונתרפא,
ומי שהיה חבוש בבית האסורים ויצא.
Rav Yehuda said that Rav said:
Four must offer thanks to God with a thanks-offering and a special blessing. They are:
Seafarers,
those who walk in the desert,
and one who was ill and recovered,
and one who was incarcerated in prison and went out.
Seafarers
Psalm 107 depicts the dangers of the sea, including stormy winds and towering waves, and describes how seafarers cry to God in distress.
God calms the storm and brings them to safety, prompting their gratitude.
יורדי הים מנלן?
דכתיב: ״יורדי הים באניות וגו׳, המה ראו מעשי ה׳״.
ואומר: ״ויעמד רוח סערה, יעלו שמים, ירדו תהומות״,
ואומר: ״יחוגו וינועו כשכור״,
ואומר: ״ויצעקו אל ה׳ בצר להם, וממצוקתיהם יוציאם״,
ואומר: ״יקם סערה לדממה״,
ואומר: ״וישמחו כי ישתקו״,
ואומר: ״יודו לה׳ חסדו, ונפלאותיו לבני אדם״.
The Gemara elaborates: From where do we derive that seafarers are required to thank God?
As it is written: “They who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters; they see the works of the Lord” (Psalms 107:23–24).
And it says: “For He commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble” (Psalms 107:25–26).
And it says: “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.”
And it says immediately thereafter: “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distress” (Psalms 107:28).
And it says: “He makes the storm calm, so the waves thereof are still” (Psalms 107:29),
and it says: “Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He brings them unto their desired haven” (Psalms 107:30),
and it says: “They are grateful to God for His loving-kindness and His wonders for mankind” (Psalms 107:31).
Desert Travelers
The psalm recounts how wanderers in the wilderness face danger and isolation until they cry to God (ויצעקו אל ה׳), who leads them to safety and guides them to a dwelling place.
They, too, are called to give thanks.
הולכי מדברות מנלן?
דכתיב:
״תעו במדבר בישימון, דרך עיר מושב לא מצאו …
ויצעקו אל ה׳ …
וידריכם בדרך ישרה …
יודו לה׳ חסדו״.
The Gemara asks: From where do we derive that those who walk in the desert are required to thank God? The Gemara answers:
As it is written in the same psalm:
“They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city in which to dwell” (Psalms 107:4),
“And then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way” (Psalms 107:6–7).
After God guides them on the right way, it is said: “They are grateful to God for His goodness” (Psalms 107:8).
Recovered From Illness
The psalm describes those afflicted by their sins, suffering greatly and nearing death.
When they cry to God (ויזעקו אל ה׳), He heals and delivers them, after which they must express gratitude.
מי שחלה ונתרפא,
דכתיב:
״אוילים מדרך פשעם ומעונתיהם יתענו.
כל אכל תתעב נפשם וגו׳
ויזעקו אל ה׳ בצר להם וגו׳
ישלח דברו וירפאם וגו׳
יודו לה׳ חסדו״.
That one who was ill and recovered must offer thanks is derived, as it is written:
“Fools, because of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Their soul abhors all manner of food and they draw near unto the gates of death” (Psalms 107:17–18),
and: “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saves them from their distress” (Psalms 107:19),
and then: “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalms 107:20).
After they are healed: “They are grateful to God for His goodness” (Psalms 107:21).
Released Prisoners
Those imprisoned in darkness and iron chains due to their rebellion against God are rescued when they cry out in their distress.
Upon their release, they are similarly obligated to offer thanks.
מי שהיה חבוש בבית האסורין מנלן?
דכתיב:
״ישבי חשך וצלמות וגו׳
כי המרו אמרי אל וגו׳״.
ואומר: ״ויכנע בעמל לבם וגו׳״,
ואומר: ״ויזעקו אל ה׳ בצר להם״,
ואומר: ״יוציאם מחשך וצלמות וגו׳״,
ואומר: ״יודו לה׳ חסדו״.
From where do we derive that one who was incarcerated in prison must offer thanks?
As it is written:
“Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron.
Because they rebelled against the words of God and scorned the counsel of the most High” (Psalms 107:10–11).
And it says: “Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help” (Psalms 107:12),
and it says: “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distresses” (Psalms 107:13),
and it says: “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their shackles” (Psalms 107:14).
And after God takes them out from that darkness and shadow of death, it says: “They are grateful to God for His goodness.”
Appendix: Vulnerability and Longevity: Rav Yehuda's Teachings on Protection and Life-Extending Practices (Berakhot 54b)
Rav Yehuda and a baraita state that certain individuals require protection (שימור - due to their vulnerability): the sick (חולה), a groom (חתן), a bride (כלה), a woman in childbirth (חיה), a mourner (אבל), and Torah scholars at night.
Rav Yehuda further highlights three practices that extend one's lifespan when prolonged: spending more time in prayer, at the table (eating), and in the outhouse (defecating).
אמר רב יהודה:
שלשה צריכין שימור,
ואלו הן —
חולה,
חתן,
וכלה.
במתניתא תנא:
חולה,
חיה,
חתן,
וכלה.
ויש אומרים: אף אבל.
ויש אומרים: אף תלמידי חכמים בלילה.
ואמר רב יהודה:
שלשה דברים, המאריך בהן, מאריכין ימיו ושנותיו של אדם:
המאריך בתפלתו,
והמאריך על שלחנו,
והמאריך בבית הכסא.
Rav Yehuda said:
Three require protection from harm,
they are:
A sick person,
a bridegroom,
and a bride.
It was taught in a baraita:
A sick person,
a woman in childbirth,
a bridegroom,
and a bride require protection from harm.
And some say: Even a mourner.
And some say: Even Torah scholars at night.
Those whose thoughts are focused elsewhere or are in a weakened physical state require protection.
And Rav Yehuda said:
There are three matters which, when one who prolongs their duration, they extend a person’s days and years.
One who prolongs his prayer,
one who prolongs his mealtime at the table,
and one who prolongs his time in the bathroom.
בית האסורים - literally: “the house of the tied/shackled”.
“״יודו לה׳ חסדו“ - “They gave thanks to God [for] His goodness”.
On this Hebrew root meaning “thanks, praise” (יודו), see Wikipedia, “Yadah“:
Yadah is the third person singular qal form of the Hebrew language verbal root ydh. Depending on its conjugation, it carries a range of meanings involving throwing or praising.
In the qal form, it describes the 'shooting' of arrows in Jeremiah 50:14.
The piel form means 'throwing' (as in throwing stones at a person, in Lamentations 3:53) or 'casting down' ("the horns of the nations," in Zechariah 2:4).
In the hiphil form, it normally means 'praising' (usually in the context of ritual worship) and occasionally for confessing one's sins.
The hitpael form, vidui, has a similar range of meanings, but the word most often means 'confession' and less commonly 'praise'.
See also Wikipedia, “Judah (son of Jacob)“, section “Etymology“:
The Hebrew name for Judah, Yehuda (יהודה), literally "thanksgiving" or "praise," is the noun form of the root Y-D-H (ידה), "to thank" or "to praise."
His birth is recorded at Gen. 29:35; upon his birth, Leah exclaims, "This time I will praise the LORD/YHWH," with the Hebrew word for "I will praise," odeh (אודה) sharing the same root as Yehuda.
And Wikitionary, הודה:
to admit, acknowledge, confess
to thank, acknowledge, express gratitude