ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מוֹ ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃ (ס)
“Menjauhlah! Najis!” seru orang kepada mereka, “Menjauhlah, menjauhlah, jangan sentuh!” Sebab mereka berlumuran kotoran dan juga tergelincir dalam darah. Orang berkata di antara bangsa-bangsa: “Mereka tidak akan lagi tinggal menumpang di sini.”
Eikhah Rabbah
“Turn away, impure, they called to them. Turn away, turn away, do not touch, because they were loathsome, and also wandering; they said among the nations: They will not continue to reside here” (Lamentations 4:15).
“Turn away, impure, they called to them.” Rabbi Ḥanina interpreted the verse regarding the daughters of Zion. That is what is written: “The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and they walk with outstretched necks [and painted eyes; they walk with dainty steps and tinkling with their feet]” (Isaiah 3:16). They would extend themselves to their full height and walk haughtily. “They walk with outstretched necks.” When one of them would wear her jewelry, she would turn her neck from side to side to display her jewelry. “And painted eyes,” Rabbi Asi of Caesarea said: They would paint their eyes with red paint. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: With a red eye salve. “They walk with dainty steps [halokh vetafof].” When one of them was tall, she would bring two short ones, one on this side and one on that side, so that she would appear floating [tafa] over them. When one of them was short, she would wear high wooden heels so she would look tall. “And tinkling [te’akasna] with their feet,” Rabbi Yosei said: They would craft the form of a serpent on their shoes.41This was an idolatrous symbol. A serpent can be referred to as aknha in Aramaic, which is related to the term te’akasna (Etz Yosef). The Rabbis say: She would bring the crop of a rooster, fill it with balsam, and place it between her heel and her shoe. When she would see a band of young men, she would stomp on it, and the fragrance would infuse them like the venom of a serpent.
Jeremiah would say to them: ‘Repent before the enemies come.’ They said to him: ‘If the enemies come against us, what can they do to us?’ That is what is written: “Who say: Let Him hurry, let Him hasten His action, so that we will see it; let the plans of the Holy One of Israel approach and be realized, and we will know it [veneda’a]” (Isaiah 5:19). A government official will see me, take me, and seat me with him in the carriage. She said to Jeremiah: ‘Let us see [neda] whose will be realized, ours or His.’ When their sins caused and their enemies came, they would adorn themselves and go out before them. A government official would see her and seat her in the carriage. A governor would see her and seat her in the carriage. A commander would see her and seat her in the carriage. The Holy One blessed be He said: Mine was not realized but theirs was realized.
What did He do? “The Lord will afflict with scabs [vesipaḥ] the heads of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 3:17). Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina, Rabbi Elazar said: He afflicted them with leprosy. This is as it says: “For the spot, for the scab [velasapaḥat], and for the bright spot” (Leviticus 14:56). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He placed on their heads swarms upon swarms of lice. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He rendered them mekhudaniyot maidservants. What is mekhudaniyot? It is enslaved maidservants. Rabbi Berekhya and Ḥalafi bar Zevid [said] in the name of Rabbi Isi: What is vesipaḥ? He caused a flow [veshipa], in order to protect sacred offspring so that they would not assimilate among the peoples of the land. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I know that idolaters do not distance themselves from leprosy.’ What did he do? “The Lord will bare their private parts” (Isaiah 3:17). The Holy One blessed be He would hint to their uterus and it would discharge blood until it filled the entire carriage. The official would stab her with a spear and place her before the carriage and run her over and split her. That is what Jeremiah says: “Turn away [suru suru], impure, they called to them. Turn away, turn away, do not touch.” Rabbi Abba said: It is in the Greek language, stench [siron siron].42Because of her foul odor the official cast her from the carriage.
“Because they were loathsome [natzu] and also wandering.” Rabbi Ḥanina said: Israel was not exiled until they blasphemed [niatzu] the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Simon said: Israel was not exiled until they became nemeses [baalei matzut] to the Holy One blessed be He.
“Turn away, impure, they called to them.” Rabbi Ḥanina interpreted the verse regarding the daughters of Zion. That is what is written: “The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and they walk with outstretched necks [and painted eyes; they walk with dainty steps and tinkling with their feet]” (Isaiah 3:16). They would extend themselves to their full height and walk haughtily. “They walk with outstretched necks.” When one of them would wear her jewelry, she would turn her neck from side to side to display her jewelry. “And painted eyes,” Rabbi Asi of Caesarea said: They would paint their eyes with red paint. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: With a red eye salve. “They walk with dainty steps [halokh vetafof].” When one of them was tall, she would bring two short ones, one on this side and one on that side, so that she would appear floating [tafa] over them. When one of them was short, she would wear high wooden heels so she would look tall. “And tinkling [te’akasna] with their feet,” Rabbi Yosei said: They would craft the form of a serpent on their shoes.41This was an idolatrous symbol. A serpent can be referred to as aknha in Aramaic, which is related to the term te’akasna (Etz Yosef). The Rabbis say: She would bring the crop of a rooster, fill it with balsam, and place it between her heel and her shoe. When she would see a band of young men, she would stomp on it, and the fragrance would infuse them like the venom of a serpent.
Jeremiah would say to them: ‘Repent before the enemies come.’ They said to him: ‘If the enemies come against us, what can they do to us?’ That is what is written: “Who say: Let Him hurry, let Him hasten His action, so that we will see it; let the plans of the Holy One of Israel approach and be realized, and we will know it [veneda’a]” (Isaiah 5:19). A government official will see me, take me, and seat me with him in the carriage. She said to Jeremiah: ‘Let us see [neda] whose will be realized, ours or His.’ When their sins caused and their enemies came, they would adorn themselves and go out before them. A government official would see her and seat her in the carriage. A governor would see her and seat her in the carriage. A commander would see her and seat her in the carriage. The Holy One blessed be He said: Mine was not realized but theirs was realized.
What did He do? “The Lord will afflict with scabs [vesipaḥ] the heads of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 3:17). Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina, Rabbi Elazar said: He afflicted them with leprosy. This is as it says: “For the spot, for the scab [velasapaḥat], and for the bright spot” (Leviticus 14:56). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He placed on their heads swarms upon swarms of lice. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He rendered them mekhudaniyot maidservants. What is mekhudaniyot? It is enslaved maidservants. Rabbi Berekhya and Ḥalafi bar Zevid [said] in the name of Rabbi Isi: What is vesipaḥ? He caused a flow [veshipa], in order to protect sacred offspring so that they would not assimilate among the peoples of the land. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I know that idolaters do not distance themselves from leprosy.’ What did he do? “The Lord will bare their private parts” (Isaiah 3:17). The Holy One blessed be He would hint to their uterus and it would discharge blood until it filled the entire carriage. The official would stab her with a spear and place her before the carriage and run her over and split her. That is what Jeremiah says: “Turn away [suru suru], impure, they called to them. Turn away, turn away, do not touch.” Rabbi Abba said: It is in the Greek language, stench [siron siron].42Because of her foul odor the official cast her from the carriage.
“Because they were loathsome [natzu] and also wandering.” Rabbi Ḥanina said: Israel was not exiled until they blasphemed [niatzu] the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Simon said: Israel was not exiled until they became nemeses [baalei matzut] to the Holy One blessed be He.
Midrash Tanchuma
(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.”
Vayikra Rabbah
“This shall be the law of the leper on the day of his purification: He shall be brought to the priest” (Leviticus 14:2).
“This shall be the law of the leper.” That is what is written: “They are six that the Lord hates, and seven that are an abomination to His soul” (Proverbs 6:16). Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis, Rabbi Meir says: Six and seven are thirteen.1Six are enumerated before this verse and seven after this verse. The Rabbis say: There are a total of seven; “and seven” that is written is [referring to] the seventh, who is worse than all of them together. Which is this? It is “one who incites discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:19). These are they: “Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart devising iniquitous thoughts, feet hastening to run to evil, he who utters lies as a false witness, and he who incites discord among brothers (Proverbs 6:17–19).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All of them are afflicted with leprosy. “Haughty eyes,” from the daughters of Zion,2The precedent of the daughters of Zion demonstrates that one with haughty eyes is afflicted with leprosy. as it is written: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and they walk with outstretched necks and painted eyes” (Isaiah 3:16), and it is written: “The Lord will afflict the head of the daughters of Zion with scabs” (Isaiah 3:17). They would extend themselves, erect like spears, and walk haughtily. “They walk with outstretched necks,” one of them would wear her jewelry and would turn her neck in order to flaunt her jewelry. “And painted eyes,” Rabbi Manei of Caesarea said: They would paint their eyes with red paint. Reish Lakish said: With red eye balm. “They walk with dainty steps” (Isaiah 3:16). When one of them was tall she would bring two short ones, one on one side and one on the other side, so she would appear tall. When one of them was short, she would bring two short ones and would place a thick sole on her feet so she would appear tall.
“And strut [te’akasna] their feet” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: There was the form of a serpent3One term for a serpent is akas. The serpent was a symbol of idolatry. on her shoes. The Rabbis say: She would bring an eggshell and fill it with balsam and place it under the heel of her shoe. When she would see a group of young men, she would stomp on it and the scent would spread through them like the venom of a serpent. The Holy One blessed be He would say to Isaiah: ‘What are these doing here? Let them rise and be exiled from here.’ Isaiah would say to them: ‘Repent before enemies set upon you!’ They would say: ‘If enemies set upon us, what will they be able to do,’ as it is stated: “[Woe to them…] who say: Let Him hurry, let Him hasten His action, so that we will see it” (Isaiah 5:18–19). ‘A commander will see me and abduct me. A governor will see me and abduct me. A general will see me and abduct me, and seat me in his carriage.’4The women said that they would not mind being taken captive by enemy officers. That is, “let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel approach and be realized, and we will know it” (Isaiah 5:19); we will know whose counsel prevails, ours or His.
When their sins became greater, the enemies came, and [the women] would adorn themselves and go out before them like prostitutes. A commander would see them and abduct them. A governor would see them and abduct them. A general would see them and abduct them and seat them in the carriage. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Will My counsel not prevail and theirs will prevail?’ What did he do? “The Lord afflicted the head of the daughters of Zion with scabs [vesipaḥ].” Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, Rabbi Elazar says: He afflicted them with leprosy, as it is written: “And for the spot and for the scab [velasapaḥat]” (Leviticus 14:56). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He brought up on their head swarms [mishpaḥot] upon swarms of lice. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He rendered them mekhudanot maidservants [shefaḥot]. What is mekhudanot? It is enslaved maidservants.
Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Ḥilfa bar Idi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: What is vesipaḥ? He protected their families so that the holy seed would not intermingle with the peoples of the lands. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I know that the nations of the world do not separate themselves from leprosy.’ What did He do? “The Lord will bare their private parts” (Isaiah 3:17). The Holy One blessed be He indicated to their uteruses, and [the woman] would discharge blood and fill the carriage with blood. The government official would pierce her with a spear and place her before the carriage. The carriage would go over them and trample them. That is what Jeremiah says: “Turn away [suru] impure one, [turn away, turn away [suru suru]], they shouted at them” (Lamentations 4:15). Rabbi Meir said: It is in the Greek language, stench [siron siron].5Because of her foul odor, the official cast her from the carriage.
“A lying tongue” (Proverbs 6:17) from Miriam, as it is written: “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1). From where is it derived that she was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The cloud withdrew from upon the Tent, and behold, Miriam was leprous like snow” (Numbers 12:10).
“Hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17), from Yoav, as it is stated: “The Lord will repay his blood upon his head” (I Kings 2:32). From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is written: “It shall rest on the head of Yoav…those who suffer from discharge and lepers” (II Samuel 3:29).
“A heart devising iniquitous thoughts” (Proverbs 6:18), from Uzziah, who sought to usurp the high priesthood. From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The Lord afflicted the king, and he was a leper until the day of his death” (II Kings 15:5).
“Feet hastening to run to evil” (Proverbs 6:18), from Geḥazi, as it is stated: “Geḥazi, the lad of Elisha…said…[I will run after him and take something from him]” (II Kings 5:20). From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you” (II Kings 5:27).
“And he who incites discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:19), from Pharaoh, who incited discord between Abraham and Sarah. From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The Lord afflicted [vaynaga] Pharaoh”6The word nega means leprosy, as in Leviticus 13:2. (Genesis 12:17). Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: One time I was walking on the road between Tiberias and Tzippori. A certain elder encountered me and said to me: ‘There are twenty-four types of skin disease and none is more problematic for the conduct of sexual relations than raatan.’7A form of gonorrhea. Rabbi Pedat said: Pharaoh was afflicted with it. That is why Moses cautioned Israel: “This shall be the law of the leper [hametzora],” the defamer [hamotzi shem ra].8The Torah refers to the law of the leper [metzora] rather than the law of leprosy in order to hint to the fact that one who defames others [motzi shem ra] becomes a leper. The fact that this is the only cause alluded to in the verse affirms the statement that “he who incites discord among brothers” is worse than the others who are punished with leprosy.
It is taught: Rabbi Yosei said: A certain elder from the men of Jerusalem said to me: ‘There are twenty-four types of skin disease and all of them are problematic for the conduct of sexual relations, but raatan is most problematic of them all.’ From what does one contract it? We learned: If one let his blood, and engaged in sexual relations, he will have epileptic children, etc.9This is a reference to a statement cited in the Talmud. The statement continues: If both of them let their blood and then engaged in sexual relations, they will have children with raatan (Ketuvot 77b; Nidda 17a).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Be wary of flies that frequent sufferers of raatan. Rabbi Zeira would not sit in their midst. Rabbi Elazar would not enter their tents. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi would not eat an egg of theirs. In that regard it is stated: “This shall be [the law of the leper [nametzora]].
“This shall be the law of the leper.” That is what is written: “They are six that the Lord hates, and seven that are an abomination to His soul” (Proverbs 6:16). Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis, Rabbi Meir says: Six and seven are thirteen.1Six are enumerated before this verse and seven after this verse. The Rabbis say: There are a total of seven; “and seven” that is written is [referring to] the seventh, who is worse than all of them together. Which is this? It is “one who incites discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:19). These are they: “Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart devising iniquitous thoughts, feet hastening to run to evil, he who utters lies as a false witness, and he who incites discord among brothers (Proverbs 6:17–19).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All of them are afflicted with leprosy. “Haughty eyes,” from the daughters of Zion,2The precedent of the daughters of Zion demonstrates that one with haughty eyes is afflicted with leprosy. as it is written: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and they walk with outstretched necks and painted eyes” (Isaiah 3:16), and it is written: “The Lord will afflict the head of the daughters of Zion with scabs” (Isaiah 3:17). They would extend themselves, erect like spears, and walk haughtily. “They walk with outstretched necks,” one of them would wear her jewelry and would turn her neck in order to flaunt her jewelry. “And painted eyes,” Rabbi Manei of Caesarea said: They would paint their eyes with red paint. Reish Lakish said: With red eye balm. “They walk with dainty steps” (Isaiah 3:16). When one of them was tall she would bring two short ones, one on one side and one on the other side, so she would appear tall. When one of them was short, she would bring two short ones and would place a thick sole on her feet so she would appear tall.
“And strut [te’akasna] their feet” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: There was the form of a serpent3One term for a serpent is akas. The serpent was a symbol of idolatry. on her shoes. The Rabbis say: She would bring an eggshell and fill it with balsam and place it under the heel of her shoe. When she would see a group of young men, she would stomp on it and the scent would spread through them like the venom of a serpent. The Holy One blessed be He would say to Isaiah: ‘What are these doing here? Let them rise and be exiled from here.’ Isaiah would say to them: ‘Repent before enemies set upon you!’ They would say: ‘If enemies set upon us, what will they be able to do,’ as it is stated: “[Woe to them…] who say: Let Him hurry, let Him hasten His action, so that we will see it” (Isaiah 5:18–19). ‘A commander will see me and abduct me. A governor will see me and abduct me. A general will see me and abduct me, and seat me in his carriage.’4The women said that they would not mind being taken captive by enemy officers. That is, “let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel approach and be realized, and we will know it” (Isaiah 5:19); we will know whose counsel prevails, ours or His.
When their sins became greater, the enemies came, and [the women] would adorn themselves and go out before them like prostitutes. A commander would see them and abduct them. A governor would see them and abduct them. A general would see them and abduct them and seat them in the carriage. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Will My counsel not prevail and theirs will prevail?’ What did he do? “The Lord afflicted the head of the daughters of Zion with scabs [vesipaḥ].” Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, Rabbi Elazar says: He afflicted them with leprosy, as it is written: “And for the spot and for the scab [velasapaḥat]” (Leviticus 14:56). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He brought up on their head swarms [mishpaḥot] upon swarms of lice. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He rendered them mekhudanot maidservants [shefaḥot]. What is mekhudanot? It is enslaved maidservants.
Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Ḥilfa bar Idi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: What is vesipaḥ? He protected their families so that the holy seed would not intermingle with the peoples of the lands. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I know that the nations of the world do not separate themselves from leprosy.’ What did He do? “The Lord will bare their private parts” (Isaiah 3:17). The Holy One blessed be He indicated to their uteruses, and [the woman] would discharge blood and fill the carriage with blood. The government official would pierce her with a spear and place her before the carriage. The carriage would go over them and trample them. That is what Jeremiah says: “Turn away [suru] impure one, [turn away, turn away [suru suru]], they shouted at them” (Lamentations 4:15). Rabbi Meir said: It is in the Greek language, stench [siron siron].5Because of her foul odor, the official cast her from the carriage.
“A lying tongue” (Proverbs 6:17) from Miriam, as it is written: “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1). From where is it derived that she was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The cloud withdrew from upon the Tent, and behold, Miriam was leprous like snow” (Numbers 12:10).
“Hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17), from Yoav, as it is stated: “The Lord will repay his blood upon his head” (I Kings 2:32). From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is written: “It shall rest on the head of Yoav…those who suffer from discharge and lepers” (II Samuel 3:29).
“A heart devising iniquitous thoughts” (Proverbs 6:18), from Uzziah, who sought to usurp the high priesthood. From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The Lord afflicted the king, and he was a leper until the day of his death” (II Kings 15:5).
“Feet hastening to run to evil” (Proverbs 6:18), from Geḥazi, as it is stated: “Geḥazi, the lad of Elisha…said…[I will run after him and take something from him]” (II Kings 5:20). From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you” (II Kings 5:27).
“And he who incites discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:19), from Pharaoh, who incited discord between Abraham and Sarah. From where is it derived that he was afflicted with leprosy? As it is stated: “The Lord afflicted [vaynaga] Pharaoh”6The word nega means leprosy, as in Leviticus 13:2. (Genesis 12:17). Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: One time I was walking on the road between Tiberias and Tzippori. A certain elder encountered me and said to me: ‘There are twenty-four types of skin disease and none is more problematic for the conduct of sexual relations than raatan.’7A form of gonorrhea. Rabbi Pedat said: Pharaoh was afflicted with it. That is why Moses cautioned Israel: “This shall be the law of the leper [hametzora],” the defamer [hamotzi shem ra].8The Torah refers to the law of the leper [metzora] rather than the law of leprosy in order to hint to the fact that one who defames others [motzi shem ra] becomes a leper. The fact that this is the only cause alluded to in the verse affirms the statement that “he who incites discord among brothers” is worse than the others who are punished with leprosy.
It is taught: Rabbi Yosei said: A certain elder from the men of Jerusalem said to me: ‘There are twenty-four types of skin disease and all of them are problematic for the conduct of sexual relations, but raatan is most problematic of them all.’ From what does one contract it? We learned: If one let his blood, and engaged in sexual relations, he will have epileptic children, etc.9This is a reference to a statement cited in the Talmud. The statement continues: If both of them let their blood and then engaged in sexual relations, they will have children with raatan (Ketuvot 77b; Nidda 17a).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Be wary of flies that frequent sufferers of raatan. Rabbi Zeira would not sit in their midst. Rabbi Elazar would not enter their tents. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi would not eat an egg of theirs. In that regard it is stated: “This shall be [the law of the leper [nametzora]].