Responsa for Berakhot 108:12
אמר רב יהודה אמר רב ארבעה צריכין להודות יורדי הים הולכי מדברות ומי שהיה חולה ונתרפא ומי שהיה חבוש בבית האסורים ויצא
Rab Judah said in the name of Rab : Four classes of people must offer thanksgiving : They who go down to the sea, who journey in the desert, the invalid who recovers and the prisoner who has been set free.
Shut min haShamayim
They responded to the first question: "Lift your hands to the sacred!" (Psalms 134:2) Namely, wash your hands whenever you want to speak sacred words or study Torah. "And bless God!" (ibid.) - with the blessing instituted for washing hands. As for the second question, they responded: Do you not know that four need to give thanks (Berachot 54b:12), and this includes one who was sick. And none are more sick than such a person [who relieves themself], as it says (Isaiah 51:14): "Quickly the crouching one is freed."2cf. Rashi on Isaiah 51:14
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