THEN HE THAT OWNETH THE HOUSE SHALL COME AND TELL THE PRIEST, THERE SEEMETH TO ME TO BE AS IT WERE A PLAGUE IN THE HOUSE. The meaning of this verse is as follows. When this plague (of leprosy) enters, another (of uncleanness) is revealed, and they attack one another. Hence it says, “there seemeth” (lit. is seen) to me.
Then the one that was concealed becomes visible and the one that was visible becomes hidden, and then reappears in the form of the leprosy, and this is what the owner “tells” the priest, who takes the hint.
Then the priest comes, and the stones and wood are removed, and then the rest are blessed. Therefore it says, “Thou shalt build goodly houses and dwell therein” (Deut. 8, 12); these are good, but the others were not good.
But’, said R. Judah, ‘if that is so, what are we to make of the verse, “Houses full of all good things which thou filledst not” (Deut. 6, 11)? How could they be full of good if an unclean spirit rested on them?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘It means, with money, with silver, with gold, and so forth: just as it is said elsewhere, “for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours”, although all the houses of Egypt were full of magic and idolatry.’
R. Simeon said: ‘All this was indeed for the purpose of sanctifying the land and removing from it the unclean spirit, and when the house was destroyed he used to find in it money for building another,1v. Midrash Rabbah, in loco. and so they were not distressed by the loss of the house, and besides, they dwelt there thenceforth in holiness.’
AND WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HATH IN THE SKIN OF THEIR FLESH BRIGHT SPOTS. R. Jose said: ‘The “bright spot” is surrounded with many regulations as complicated as the wickerwork of a basket, all depending on the shade of colour.’ R. Isaac said: ‘Some authorities have formulated three hundred rules regarding the bright spot, and I learnt them all from my father. One black hair renders unclean, being like one witness; two render clean, being like two witnesses.’
(ויקרא י״ד:ל״ה) וּבָא אֲשֶׁר לוֹ הַבַּיִת וְהִגִּיד וְגוֹ'. וְהִגִּיד, וַיֹּאמֶר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר, מַהוּ וְהִגִּיד. אֶלָּא בְּכָל אֲתַר מִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי בַּבַּיִת, כְּנֶגַע, נֶגַע מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. נִרְאָה לִי, יֵשׁ לִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. דְּהָא כְּתִיב, וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַתְכֶם, דְּיִתְחֲזֵי לְכֹלָּא. אֲמַאי כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי.
THEN HE THAT OWNETH THE HOUSE SHALL COME AND TELL THE PRIEST, THERE SEEMETH TO ME TO BE AS IT WERE A PLAGUE IN THE HOUSE. The meaning of this verse is as follows. When this plague (of leprosy) enters, another (of uncleanness) is revealed, and they attack one another. Hence it says, “there seemeth” (lit. is seen) to me.
אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי עַיִּיל, אָחֳרָא אִתְגַּלְיָא. וּמְקַטְרְגָא דָּא בְּדָא. וְעַל דָּא נִרְאָה לִי, הַהוּא דְּאִתְכַּסֵּי אִתְגַּלְיָא, וּדְאִתְגַּלְיָא אִתְכַּסֵּי, וּלְבָתַר מִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּהַהוּא נֶגַע דְּבֵיתָא, וְאִתְכַּסְּיָא אָחֳרָא. וְעַל דָּא וְהִגִּיד לַכֹּהֵן, דְּמִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא הִיא.
Then the one that was concealed becomes visible and the one that was visible becomes hidden, and then reappears in the form of the leprosy, and this is what the owner “tells” the priest, who takes the hint.
וּכְדֵין אָתֵי כַּהֲנָא, וְיִרְמוּן בֵּיתָא, וְיִנְתְּצוּן לֵיהּ אֲבָנִין וְאָעִין וְכֹלָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּאִנְתְּצָן וְאִתְדָּכָן כֹּלָּא, מִתְבָּרְכָאן, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, (דברים ח׳:י״ב) וּבָתִּים טוֹבִים תִּבְנֶה וְיָשָׁבְתָּ. אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן טוֹבִים, דְּהָא קַדְמָאֵי לָאו אִינּוּן טוֹבִים, וְלָאו בִּכְלָלָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה וְדַכְיוּ נִינְהוּ.
Then the priest comes, and the stones and wood are removed, and then the rest are blessed. Therefore it says, “Thou shalt build goodly houses and dwell therein” (Deut. 8, 12); these are good, but the others were not good.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכִי בְּמַאי מוּקְמֵינָן קְרָא דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ו׳:י״א) וּבָתִּים מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִלֵּאתָ. אִי רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא בְּגַוַויְיהוּ הֵיךְ מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב: בְּמָמוֹנָא, בְּכַסְפָּא, וּבְדַהֲבָא, וּבְכֹלָּא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית מ״ה:ח׳) כִּי טוּב כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. וְאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְהָא כָּל בָּתֵּי דְּמִצְרָאֵי, מַלְּיָין חַרְשִׁין וְטַעֲוָון הֲווֹ. אֶלָּא בְּגִין עוּתְרָא דְּאַרְעָא אִתְּמַר. אוּף הָכָא בְּגִין עוּתְרָא וּמָמוֹנָא הוּא.
But’, said R. Judah, ‘if that is so, what are we to make of the verse, “Houses full of all good things which thou filledst not” (Deut. 6, 11)? How could they be full of good if an unclean spirit rested on them?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘It means, with money, with silver, with gold, and so forth: just as it is said elsewhere, “for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours”, although all the houses of Egypt were full of magic and idolatry.’
תְּרֵין עוּתְרִין נַטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, חַד כַּד נָפְקוּ מִגָּלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם. וְחַד כַּד עָאלוּ לְאַרְעָא. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, כָּל דָּא וַדַּאי הֲוָה לְאִתְקַדְשָׁא אַרְעָא, וּלְאַעְבְּרָא רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא מֵאַרְעָא, וּמִגּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכַד בֵּיתָא הֲוָה נָתִיץ, הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בָּהּ מָמוֹנָא, לְמִבְנֵי לֵיהּ, וּלְמַלְיָא בֵּיתֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִצְטָעֵר עַל בֵּיתָא, וְיִשְׁרוּן בְּדִיּוּרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה.
R. Simeon said: ‘All this was indeed for the purpose of sanctifying the land and removing from it the unclean spirit, and when the house was destroyed he used to find in it money for building another,1v. Midrash Rabbah, in loco. and so they were not distressed by the loss of the house, and besides, they dwelt there thenceforth in holiness.’
(ויקרא י״ג:ל״ח) וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרָם בֶּהָרוֹת וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כְּסִילְתָּא דְּמוֹקְפֵי בְּבַהֶרֶת עַזָּה, חֵיזוֹ תָּנֵינָא, וּבְחֵיזוֹ אִתְּדָּן, בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק ש' טַעְמֵי אִית מַאן דְּגָרִיס בְּבַהֶרֶת עַזָּה. וְכֻלְּהוּ אוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא, בַּר חֵיזוּר (חיור) חַד סָאִיב, סָהֲדָא חַד. תְּרֵין, תְּרֵי סַהֲדֵי, וְדָכֵי. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, אֲפִילּוּ מֵאָה כִּתְרֵי, וּתְרֵי כְּמֵאָה. וְדָא אוֹלִיפְנָא לְבָתַר דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים י״ט:ט״ו) לֹא יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד בְּאִישׁ וְגוֹ', עַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם עֵדִים וְגוֹ'.
AND WHEN A MAN OR A WOMAN HATH IN THE SKIN OF THEIR FLESH BRIGHT SPOTS. R. Jose said: ‘The “bright spot” is surrounded with many regulations as complicated as the wickerwork of a basket, all depending on the shade of colour.’ R. Isaac said: ‘Some authorities have formulated three hundred rules regarding the bright spot, and I learnt them all from my father. One black hair renders unclean, being like one witness; two render clean, being like two witnesses.’