אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ. עַל יְדֵי מָה נְגָעִים בָּאִים, עַל יְדֵי הַזְּנוּת. וְכֵן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּפִין בִּזְנוּת, לְכָךְ לָקוּ בְּצָרַעַת. מַה כְּתִיב שָׁם, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' יַעַן כִּי גָּבְהוּ בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן וַתֵּלַכְנָה נְטוּיוֹת גָּרוֹן וְגוֹ' (ישעיה ג, טז). מֶה עָשָׂה לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. הִלְקָה אוֹתָם בְּצָרַעַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשִׁפַּח ה' קָדְקֹד בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן (ישעיה ג, יז). וְאֵין וְשִׁפַּח אֶלָּא צָרַעַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְלַשְּׂאֵת וְלַסַּפַּחַת וְלַבַּהֶרֶת. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת אוֹ בַּהֶרֶת וְגוֹ'. הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר בַּמַּלְכֻיּוֹת. שְׂאֵת, זוֹ בָּבֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנָשָׂאתָ הַמָּשָׁל הַזֶּה עַל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְגוֹ' (ישעיה יד, ד). סַפַּחַת, זוֹ מַלְכוּת מָדַי, שֶׁהָיָה הָמָן מְסַפֵּחַ עִם אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד. בַּהֶרֶת, זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן, שֶׁהָיְתָה מַבְהֶרֶת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֶרֶת, כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שׁוֹר, יְחַקֶּה עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק בֵּאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאִם לָאו, גּוֹזְרִין עָלָיו הֲרִיגָה. וְהָיָה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ לְנֶגַע צָרַעַת, זוֹ מַלְכוּת אֱדֹם, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַלְקֶה אוֹתוֹ בְּצָרַעַת וְאֶת הַשַּׂר שֶׁלּוֹ. שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב: מַדּוּעַ נִסְחַף אַבִּירֶיךָ לֹא עָמַד כִּי ה' הֲדָפוֹ (ירמיה מו, טו). וְלָעוֹלָם הַבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב בַּדִּין עַל מַלְכוּת אֱדֹם וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: לָמָּה הָיִית מִשְׁתַּעְבֶּדֶת בְּבָנַי. וְהוּא אוֹמֵר, לֹא אַתָּה הוּא שֶׁמְּסַרְתָּם בְּיָדֵינוּ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ: וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁמָּסַרְתִּי אוֹתָם בְּיָדְךָ, לֹא שַׂמְתְּ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, עַל זָקֵן הִכְבַּדְתְּ עֻלֵּךָ מְאֹד (ישעיה מז, ו). עַל זָקֵן הִכְבַּדְתְּ עֻלֵּךָ מְאֹד, זֶה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, שֶׁשִּׁעְבְּדָה בּוֹ מַלְכוּת אֱדֹם מַה שֶּׁאֵין סוֹף. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עַל זָקֵן הִכְבַּדְתְּ עֻלֵּךְ מְאֹד, שֶׁהָיְתָה מַכְבֶּדֶת עֻלָּהּ עַל זָקֵן כְּבָחוּר. אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּבֶל, חַיַּיִךְ, שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב עָלַיִךְ בַּמִּשְׁפָּט וְדָן אוֹתָךְ וּמְחַיְּבֵךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רְדִי וּשְׁבִי עַל עָפָר בְּתוּלַת בַּת בָּבֶל, שְׁבִי לָאָרֶץ אֵין כִּסֵּא (ישעיה מז, א), עַל שֶׁהָיִית יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל הַכִּסֵּא, שְׁבִי לָאָרֶץ אֵין כִּסֵּא. כִּי לֹא תּוֹסִיפִי יִקְרְאוּ לְךָ רַכָּה וַעֲנֻגָּה (ישעיה מז, א). וּמָה אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה לָךְ. אֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ מִן הַשָּׂר שֶׁלָּךְ תְּחִלָּה וּמַלְקֶה אוֹתוֹ בְּצָרַעַת, וְאַחַר כֵּן אֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ מִמֵּךְ. וְלֹא תֹּאמַר בַּמַּלְכוּת הַזֶּה, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ בְּגוֹג שֶׁהָיָה מִתְגָּאֶה בָּעוֹלָם וְעוֹלֶה, כָּךְ אֲנִי מַלְקֶה אוֹתוֹ בְּצָרַעַת. מִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה וְגוֹ' הָמֵק בְּשָׂרוֹ וְהוּא עוֹמֵד עַל רַגְלָיו (זכריה יד, יב). וְעַל יְדֵי מָה. עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּתְגָּרִין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה, עַל יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁבָּאוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה פָּרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשּׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַרְבֵּה, וְהִכָּה אוֹתָם בְּצָרַעַת. וּמִי הָיָה. זֶה נַעֲמָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנַעֲמָן שַׂר צְבָא מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם הָיָה אִישׁ גָּדוֹל לִפְנֵי אֲדֹנָיו וְגוֹ' וְהָאִישׁ גִּבּוֹר חַיִל מְצֹרָע (מ״ב ה, א). בִּשְׁבִיל מַה נִּצְטָרַע, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשָּׁבָה מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲרָה קְטַנָּה. בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הִלְקָה לְעוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּצָרַעַת. וְאַף לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא כָּךְ יַלְקֶה אוֹתָן בְּצָרַעַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה אֲשֶׁר יִגֹּף ה' וְגוֹ' (זכריה יד, יב). אוֹמֵר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְפִי שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם קוֹרְאִים לְבָנַי טְמֵאִים, אֲנִי מְטַמֵּא אֶתְכֶם בְּטֻמְאָה גְּדוֹלָה אֲבִי הַטֻּמְאוֹת. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָיוּ קוֹרְאִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל טְמֵאִים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: סוּרוּ טָמֵא קִרְאוּ לָמוֹ וְגוֹ' (איכה ד, טו). וְאַתֶּם, תִּהְיוּ מְצֹרָעִים וּטְמֵאִים. אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲנִי מְטַהֲרָן וּמְקַדְּשָׁן וְגוֹאֲלָן מִבֵּינֵיכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְקָרְאוּ לָהֶם עַם הַקֹּדֶשׁ גְּאוּלֵי ה', וְלָךְ יִקָּרֵא דְּרוּשָׁה, עִיר לֹא נֶעֱזָבָה (ישעיה סב, יב). וְכֵן אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ, כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ (שה״ש ד, ז). (Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” Why do the plagues come?50Cf. Lev. R. 17:3. Because of harlotry. And so you find in Jerusalem, that because they were absorbed in harlotry, they were afflicted with leprosy. What is written there (in Is. 3:16)? “Moreover, the Lord said, ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended neck [and roving eyes] ….’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He struck them with leprosy, as stated (in vs. 17), “And the Lord will smite with sores (sph) the scalps of the daughters of Zion.” Smite with sores (sph) must mean "with leprosy," since it is stated (with reference to leprosy in Lev. 13:2), “a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […].” Hence it says (Lev. 13: 2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […. (Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore or a bright spot, and it becomes… the plague of leprosy.”] The verse is speaking about [the four] empires.51Lev. R. 15:9. The swelling (s't) represents Babylon, since it is stated (in Is. 14:4), “And you shall take up (ns't) this song of scorn against the king of Babylon….” The sore (rt.: sph) represents Media, because Haman conspired (rt.: sph) with Ahasuerus (Esth. 3:18), “to devastate, kill, and destroy.” The bright spot represents the Greek empire, because it “lorded” it (rt.: bhr) over Israel and said, “Whoever has an ox, let him write on the horns of the ox that he has no share in the God of Israel.” 52So also Lev. R. 15:9; Gen. R. 2:4; cf. 16:4. And if [they did] not [do so], they would sentence them to death. The plague of leprosy represents the empire of Edom (i.e., of Rome), because the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicted it and its guarding angel with leprosy, as stated (in Jer. 46:15), “Why has abbireka been washed away? Because the Lord has pushed him away.”53See Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 3:19, and the note there. In the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, shall sit in judgment over the empire of Edom. He will say to them, “Why did you oppress My children?” They will say, “Was it not You that delivered them into our hands?” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to them, “Because (to paraphrase Is. 47:6) I delivered them into your hands, did you [see fit to] not show them mercy?” [Instead (according to Is. 47:6, cont.),] “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” This [aged one] is Rabbi Aqiva, whom the empire oppressed, [the empire] which has no end.54Gen. R. 13:5. Another interpretation (of Is. 47:6, cont.), “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy”: Because they made their yoke as heavy on the aged as upon the youth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Babylon, “By your life, I am sitting over you in judgment to judge you and convict you.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 47:1), “Come down and sit upon the dust, O maiden daughter of Babylon; sit on the earth, not a throne.” Since she formerly sat upon a throne, now [she is told,] “Sit on the earth, not a throne; (Is. 47:1, cont.) for you shall no more be called [tender and delicate].” What shall I do to you? I will exact retribution from your guarding angel first and smite him with leprosy. Then after that, I will exact retribution from you. You should not say, “On this empire [only]”; but even upon Gog, since he vaunts himself upward in the world. I will smite him with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12) “And this shall be the plague [with which the Lord will smite all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem]: their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet.” For what reason? Because they engaged in battle with Israel. And so is it stated (Zech 14:12), “and this shall be the plague,” because they came against Israel. And do not be surprised, as behold the Lord exacts heavy retribution in leprosy from those who hate them even in this world. And who was [such a one]? This was Naaman, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 5:1), “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram…; but the man, though a valiant warrior, was a leper.” For what reason was he a leper? Because he had taken a little girl captive from the Land of Israel. In this world He struck the idolaters with leprosy. And also in the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will afflict them with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12), “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will smite ….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Because you have called my children unclean, I am making you unclean with a great uncleanness through leprosy.” Where is it shown that they called Israel unclean? Where it is stated (in Lam. 4:15) “Away, unclean, they cried at them….” [So] you will be leprous and impure, but Israel, I will sanctify, purify, and redeem them from among you, as stated (in Is. 62:12), “And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called, sought out, a city not forsaken.” So also King Solomon has said (in Cant. 4:7), “You are beautiful all over, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you.”