It is known that there are four categories of people who must say birkas hagomel, ברוך כל שגמלני טובות לחייבים הגומל העולם מלך אלקינו 'ה אתה טוב. The siman to remember who benches gomel is ם"חיי from the words of Shemonah Esrei סלה יודך ם"החיי וכל, 'All life will praise you forever.' ם"חיי is roshei teivos for ,םי ,סוריםי ,ולהח דבר מ, which stands for someone who was healed from an illness, saved from jail, traveled over a sea or through a desert (as this is written in Shulchan Aruch).
Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 219) adds, "It isn't only them. Anyone who had a miracle, like a wall falling on him, or was saved from an ox who sought to trample or gore him, or if there was a lion in the city which wanted to kill him, or if there were thieves, night robbers, and he was saved from them, and so on, they all must say the brachah הגומל..."
When the Beis HaMikdash stood, these people would also bring a korban todah, a korban for thanksgiving.
What would be if one traveled over a sea or through a desert, and everything was peaceful and safe, posing no major risk to his life, must he also praise Hashem?
The Biur Halachah writes, "All agree that if he traveled over a sea or traversed a desert and there weren't any dangers (there weren't any storms at sea, and he never got lost or lacked food and drink in the desert), he must still say the brachah הגומל. Since, commonly, such problems arise, he must praise Hashem that he was saved." When the Beis HaMikdash stood, he would bring a korban todah.
The Alshich HaKadosh (7:11-16) says that he should praise Hashem even more than someone who was in danger because Hashem helped him doubly. He survived the trip and didn't suffer the fear and agony of the pending danger.
We quote, "The four people who must praise Hashem, you might think that they don't have to praise Hashem [when their lives weren't in danger], but they do. Even if there weren't stormy winds at sea... and when they went in the desert, they didn't get lost and weren't hungry and thirsty [they are nonetheless obligated to praise Hashem]. Also, someone who was ill and became well, [he must praise Hashem] even if he never reached the gateway of death. The same applies to a freed prisoner, even if he was never in chains. Since he was freed, he must praise Hashem. He has an even greater obligation to praise Hashem because Hashem gave him a life of tranquility, and Hashem didn't lead him through troubles. He didn't undergo the fright of impending death.
"So, if there was no rain at sea, and there weren't strong winds, his obligation to praise Hashem is greater. In addition to Hashem saving him, Hashem had compassion on him, not giving him any tzaar at all. The same is true with an ill person. Not only did Hashem save him from death, Hashem stopped the illness from deteriorating. He is more obligated to praise Hashem. The same is true for someone who was in prison, and Hashem didn't allow them to put him in iron chains and poverty. It was just a prison, and then Hashem saved him. His obligation to praise Hashem doubles."
If Hashem helps a person and he doesn't experience worry, his obligation to praise Hashem is even greater, but this isn't how people think. Those in a dangerous situation praise Hashem much more than those who didn't endure such hard times. The Alshich tells a mashal to demonstrate this reality. "Someone traveled through a desert, and people asked him whether it was safe and whether there were robbers. He replied, 'It is safe. There is nothing to fear. You can travel through this desert carrying a box of gold, and no one will take it. Don't be afraid. This is the route to take.'
"Another person traveled the same route through the desert and arrived disheveled and out of breath. He couldn’t stop praising Hashem for the wonders Hashem did for him. He said, 'How can I not praise Hashem? Armed thieves with swords surrounded me. They wanted to kill me and take all my money away. Hashem, in whom I trust, performed miracles for me and saved me from their hands, although I didn't have any weapons. Let it be known that weapons and swords won't save a person. Hashem saves us.'
"The person who faced danger saw that Hashem saved him, and he praises Hashem endlessly, but the person who had no trouble
