Giving Thanks

The Rambam Berachot (10:8) אַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִין לְהוֹדוֹת. חוֹלֶה שֶׁנִּתְרַפֵּא. וְחָבוּשׁ שֶׁיָּצָא מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים. וְיוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם כְּשֶׁעָלוּ. וְהוֹלְכֵי דְּרָכִים כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעוּ לַיִּשּׁוּב. וּצְרִיכִין לְהוֹדוֹת בִּפְנֵי עֲשָׂרָה וּשְׁנַיִם מֵהֶם חֲכָמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים קז לב) ״וִירֹמְמוּהוּ בִּקְהַל עָם וּבְמוֹשַׁב זְקֵנִים יְהַלְלוּהוּ״. וְכֵיצַד מוֹדֶה וְכֵיצַד מְבָרֵךְ. עוֹמֵד בֵּינֵיהֶן וּמְבָרֵךְ. וכו.  The Kesef Mishne asks what is the repetition of כֵיצַד מוֹדֶה וְכֵיצַד מְבָרֵךְ?  The Achronim (see Mishnas Yaavetz siman 19) say we see from the Rambam that the obligation of birchas hagomel is not just a chiuv beracha but is an obligation of הודאה and one fulfills that with the beracha.

The Rambam says עוֹמֵד בֵּינֵיהֶן, the beracha must be said while standing.  The Kesef Mishne wonders what is the source of the Rambam that the beracha must be said while standing?  In light of the above lomdus we can say that the beracha has the status of hallel which is recited when standing.  

The Gemarah Berachot (54b) says one can say hagomel for the fact that someone else was saved andd if the one saved answers amen he discharges his obligation of saying hagomel.  It appears from the Gemarah that those hearing the tidings of one being saved are also indebted to give thanks for the one that was saved and that may be the source for the idea that those that hear a birchas hagomel answer, as the Rambam says, וְכָל הַשּׁוֹמְעִין אוֹמְרִים שֶׁגְּמָלְךָ טוֹב הוּא יִגְמָלְךָ סֶלָה.  A regular beracha does not evoke a response from the listeners so why does hagomel?  Because the listeners also take part of the hodah.  The basis for this may lie in the parsha of korban todah which the Netziv writes is of a large quantity to insure one will share the story of salvation and thanks to Hashem with others.