(Lev. 13:2), “When a man has on the skin of his flesh.” It is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to reach out His hand against this man.49Cf. Lev. R. 17:4. Rather He forewarns a person [and afflicts his house] first and then He strikes him, as stated (in Lev. 14:34), “And when I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.” First, He strikes his house. [If] he repents, fine; but if not, He strikes his clothes, as stated (in Lev. 13:47), “When the plague of leprosy is in a garment.” [If] he repents, fine; but if not, [they come] upon his body, as stated (in Lev. 13:2), “When a man has on the skin of his flesh.”
אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ (ויקרא יג, ב). קָשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִפְשֹׁט יָדוֹ בָּאָדָם הַזֶּה. וּמַה הוּא עוֹשֶׂה. מַתְרֶה בּוֹ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחֵר כֵּן מַלְקֶה אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם (ויקרא יד, לד). בִּתְחִלָּה מַלְקֶה בֵּיתוֹ. חָזַר בּוֹ, מוּטָב. וְאִם לָאו, מַלְקֶה בְּגָדָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהַבֶּגֶד כִּי יִהְיֶה בּוֹ נֶגַע צָרַעַת (ויקרא יג, מז). חָזַר בּוֹ, מוּטָב. וְאִם לָאו, בָּאִים בְּגוּפוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ.
(Lev. 13:2), “When a man has on the skin of his flesh.” It is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to reach out His hand against this man.49Cf. Lev. R. 17:4. Rather He forewarns a person [and afflicts his house] first and then He strikes him, as stated (in Lev. 14:34), “And when I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.” First, He strikes his house. [If] he repents, fine; but if not, He strikes his clothes, as stated (in Lev. 13:47), “When the plague of leprosy is in a garment.” [If] he repents, fine; but if not, [they come] upon his body, as stated (in Lev. 13:2), “When a man has on the skin of his flesh.”