וְהָיָ֣ה לְאָבָ֔ק עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָ֨ה עַל־הָאָדָ֜ם וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה לִשְׁחִ֥ין פֹּרֵ֛חַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֖ת בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
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Bamidbar Rabbah
From here, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: Leprosy comes due to eleven matters: For cursing the name of God, for illicit sexual relations, for bloodshed, for saying regarding another a [negative] matter that is not accurate, for arrogance, for one who enters an area that is not his, for false speech, for thefts, for a false oath, for one who profanes the name of Heaven, and for idol worship. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: For miserliness. Our Rabbis say: For one who scorns matters of Torah.
According to the opinion of the Rabbis, who said: For one who scorns matters of Torah, it is as it is stated: “Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes straw [and a flame destroys chaff]…their blossom [ufirḥam] will rise as dust; [for they spurned the Torah of the Lord of hosts and scorned the word of the Holy One of Israel]” (Isaiah 5:24). This is leprosy, as it is stated: “If the leprosy shall erupt [paro’aḥ tifraḥ]” (Leviticus 13:12). What is “will rise as dust”? It is like that furnace soot that Moses cast heavenward: “It will become dust over the entire land of Egypt” (Exodus 9:9) – from it the Egyptians were stricken with “a rash erupting in blisters on man and on animal” (Exodus 9:10).
According to the opinion of Rabbi Yitzḥak, who said: For miserliness, when a person is miserly and does not lend his utensils, the Holy One blessed be He will afflict his house with leprosy; he takes his utensils outside,20As part of the procedure in cases of leprosy of the house. and the people say: So-and-so, who would not lend his utensils and would say that he did not have utensils, he did have utensils. In his regard the verse states: “The produce of his house will be exiled” (Job 20:28).
According to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, who said: For cursing the name of God, he derives it from Goliath, as it is stated: “For he blasphemed the armies of the living God” (I Samuel 17:36). What is written in his regard? “This day, the Lord will deliver you [yesagerkha] into my hand” (I Samuel 17:46). “Yesagerkha” is nothing other than leprosy, as it is stated: “The priest shall quarantine him [vehisgiro]” (Leviticus 13:5).
For illicit sexual relations, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The Lord will afflict with scabs [vesipaḥ] the heads of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 3:17). Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: Vesipaḥ is nothing other than leprosy, as it is stated: “A spot or a scab [sapaḥat]…” (Leviticus 13:2).
For bloodshed, from Cain, as it is stated: “God placed a mark [ot] on Cain” (Genesis 4:15). Rabbi Neḥemya said: This is leprosy. “Ot” is stated here, and “ot” (II Kings 20:8) is stated regarding Hezekiah. Just as ot stated regarding Hezekiah was a rash, so, too, here, it is a rash. If you do not derive it, derive it from Yoav, who shed blood. What is written in his regard? “May there not be eliminated from the house of Yoav a zav or a leper” (II Samuel 3:29).
For saying regarding another a [negative] matter that is not accurate, this is [from] Moses, as when God said to him that he should go to Israel, he said to Him: ‘My Master, but they will not believe me,’ as it is stated: “But they will not believe me…” (Exodus 4:1). God said to him: ‘Moses, do you already know that they will not believe you? They are believers, descendants of believers, yet you say to Me, “but they will not believe me…”?’ “Bring your hand to your bosom…” (Exodus 4:6). Immediately, “he withdrew it, and behold, his hand was leprous like snow (Exodus 4:6).
For arrogance, this is Naaman, as it is stated: “Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man […and the man…was leprous]” (II Kings 5:1). What is “great”? It is that he had an arrogance of spirit because he was a great warrior. It is due to this that he was afflicted with leprosy.
For one who enters an area that is not his, this is Uziyahu, who sought to enter the area of the priesthood. What is written in his regard? “The leprosy radiated on his forehead” (II Chronicles 26:19).
For false speech, this is Miriam, as it is stated: “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1). What is written thereafter? “Aaron turned to Miriam, and behold, she was leprous” (Numbers 12:10).
For thefts and for a false oath, as it is written: “It will arrive at the house of the thief and at the house of one who takes an oath by My name falsely, […and it will eliminate it and its timber and its stones]” (Zechariah 5:4). What is a plague that destroys timber and stones? This is leprosy, as it is stated: “He shall demolish the house, its stones, and its timber…” (Leviticus 14:45).
For one who profanes the name of Heaven, this is Geḥazi, who pursued Naaman in order to take money from him, as it is stated: “Geḥazi pursued Naaman…” (II Kings 5:21). Elisha sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as he did not wish to take anything from Naaman, but Geḥazi pursued him and took a false oath to him [Naaman] that he [Elisha] had sent him [Geḥazi] to him [Naaman], so that he would send money to him [Elisha]. The result is this one profaned the name of Heaven, which Elisha had sanctified. The Holy One blessed be He said to Geḥazi: ‘Wicked one; you said: “As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something [me’uma] from him” (II Kings 5:20). You took an oath in My name in order to profane it? You said me’uma; you will take his blemish [mum]’: “the leprosy of Naaman will cleave to you” (II Kings 5:27).
And for idol worship, this is Israel; when they performed that act21The sin of the Golden Calf. In section 4 the midrash derives that Israel became lepers after the sin. they became lepers, as it is stated: “Moses saw the people, that it was wild [farua]” (Exodus 32:25). And it says: “And mortal pain” (Isaiah 17:11) – that is why God said to Moses: ‘Separate the lepers who are in your midst from the camp of Israel, as it is they who performed that act.’ “They shall send out from the camp every leper.”
According to the opinion of the Rabbis, who said: For one who scorns matters of Torah, it is as it is stated: “Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes straw [and a flame destroys chaff]…their blossom [ufirḥam] will rise as dust; [for they spurned the Torah of the Lord of hosts and scorned the word of the Holy One of Israel]” (Isaiah 5:24). This is leprosy, as it is stated: “If the leprosy shall erupt [paro’aḥ tifraḥ]” (Leviticus 13:12). What is “will rise as dust”? It is like that furnace soot that Moses cast heavenward: “It will become dust over the entire land of Egypt” (Exodus 9:9) – from it the Egyptians were stricken with “a rash erupting in blisters on man and on animal” (Exodus 9:10).
According to the opinion of Rabbi Yitzḥak, who said: For miserliness, when a person is miserly and does not lend his utensils, the Holy One blessed be He will afflict his house with leprosy; he takes his utensils outside,20As part of the procedure in cases of leprosy of the house. and the people say: So-and-so, who would not lend his utensils and would say that he did not have utensils, he did have utensils. In his regard the verse states: “The produce of his house will be exiled” (Job 20:28).
According to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, who said: For cursing the name of God, he derives it from Goliath, as it is stated: “For he blasphemed the armies of the living God” (I Samuel 17:36). What is written in his regard? “This day, the Lord will deliver you [yesagerkha] into my hand” (I Samuel 17:46). “Yesagerkha” is nothing other than leprosy, as it is stated: “The priest shall quarantine him [vehisgiro]” (Leviticus 13:5).
For illicit sexual relations, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The Lord will afflict with scabs [vesipaḥ] the heads of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 3:17). Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said: Vesipaḥ is nothing other than leprosy, as it is stated: “A spot or a scab [sapaḥat]…” (Leviticus 13:2).
For bloodshed, from Cain, as it is stated: “God placed a mark [ot] on Cain” (Genesis 4:15). Rabbi Neḥemya said: This is leprosy. “Ot” is stated here, and “ot” (II Kings 20:8) is stated regarding Hezekiah. Just as ot stated regarding Hezekiah was a rash, so, too, here, it is a rash. If you do not derive it, derive it from Yoav, who shed blood. What is written in his regard? “May there not be eliminated from the house of Yoav a zav or a leper” (II Samuel 3:29).
For saying regarding another a [negative] matter that is not accurate, this is [from] Moses, as when God said to him that he should go to Israel, he said to Him: ‘My Master, but they will not believe me,’ as it is stated: “But they will not believe me…” (Exodus 4:1). God said to him: ‘Moses, do you already know that they will not believe you? They are believers, descendants of believers, yet you say to Me, “but they will not believe me…”?’ “Bring your hand to your bosom…” (Exodus 4:6). Immediately, “he withdrew it, and behold, his hand was leprous like snow (Exodus 4:6).
For arrogance, this is Naaman, as it is stated: “Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man […and the man…was leprous]” (II Kings 5:1). What is “great”? It is that he had an arrogance of spirit because he was a great warrior. It is due to this that he was afflicted with leprosy.
For one who enters an area that is not his, this is Uziyahu, who sought to enter the area of the priesthood. What is written in his regard? “The leprosy radiated on his forehead” (II Chronicles 26:19).
For false speech, this is Miriam, as it is stated: “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses” (Numbers 12:1). What is written thereafter? “Aaron turned to Miriam, and behold, she was leprous” (Numbers 12:10).
For thefts and for a false oath, as it is written: “It will arrive at the house of the thief and at the house of one who takes an oath by My name falsely, […and it will eliminate it and its timber and its stones]” (Zechariah 5:4). What is a plague that destroys timber and stones? This is leprosy, as it is stated: “He shall demolish the house, its stones, and its timber…” (Leviticus 14:45).
For one who profanes the name of Heaven, this is Geḥazi, who pursued Naaman in order to take money from him, as it is stated: “Geḥazi pursued Naaman…” (II Kings 5:21). Elisha sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as he did not wish to take anything from Naaman, but Geḥazi pursued him and took a false oath to him [Naaman] that he [Elisha] had sent him [Geḥazi] to him [Naaman], so that he would send money to him [Elisha]. The result is this one profaned the name of Heaven, which Elisha had sanctified. The Holy One blessed be He said to Geḥazi: ‘Wicked one; you said: “As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something [me’uma] from him” (II Kings 5:20). You took an oath in My name in order to profane it? You said me’uma; you will take his blemish [mum]’: “the leprosy of Naaman will cleave to you” (II Kings 5:27).
And for idol worship, this is Israel; when they performed that act21The sin of the Golden Calf. In section 4 the midrash derives that Israel became lepers after the sin. they became lepers, as it is stated: “Moses saw the people, that it was wild [farua]” (Exodus 32:25). And it says: “And mortal pain” (Isaiah 17:11) – that is why God said to Moses: ‘Separate the lepers who are in your midst from the camp of Israel, as it is they who performed that act.’ “They shall send out from the camp every leper.”
Midrash Tanchuma
And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth (Exod. 12:37). The distance from Rameses to Succoth is forty parasangs (approx. 43 miles), yet Moses’ voice could be heard at Succoth. Do not be surprised at this, for even the dust that Moses hurled into the air soared about for forty days, as it is said: And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt (Exod. 9:9). If the dust could spread over the whole of Egypt, which takes forty days to traverse, how much more likely it is that his voice could traverse forty parasangs. R. Akiba said: Succoth refers to the clouds, as it is said: For over all the glory shall be a canopy (sukkah) (Isa. 4:5). Likewise, in the future, And there shall be a canopy (sukkah) for a shadow in the daytime (ibid., v. 6). Besides children (Exod. 12:37). That is, besides little ones and women. And they baked cakes (ibid., v. 39). Actually, they did not manage to bake cakes. The word cakes refers to a cake baked on coal, as it is said: But make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me (I Kings 17:13). An amazing miracle was performed for them by means of the cakes. They ate them twice a day for thirty days, until the manna descended for them. Neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals (Exod. 12:39). This was to demonstrate Israel’s worth, since they did not complain and say: “How can we cross the desert and the sea if we have no provisions?” This teaches us that they trusted Him. Concerning them, it is expressly stated in the post-Mosaic writing: Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem (Jer. 2:2). What was their reward for their faithfulness? Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion (ibid., v. 3).
Shemot Rabbah
“The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron: Take for you handfuls of soot of the furnace, and Moses will throw it heavenward before the eyes of Pharaoh” (Exodus 9:8).
“The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron: Take for you handfuls of soot of the furnace” – a great miracle was performed with the boils, as both Moses and Aaron took their handfuls, and Moses’s hand held his handful and Aaron’s handful; from here, a small area can have a large capacity.6If God wills it.
This plague came upon them through the Holy One blessed be He, Moses, and Aaron, as both Moses and Aaron took the soot of the furnace, and Moses threw it heavenward, and the Holy One blessed be He transformed it into boils above, and it fell upon them.
“It will become dust over the entire land of Egypt, and will be boils erupting into blisters upon man and upon animal, throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 9:9).
“It will become dust over the entire land of Egypt” – why did He bring boils upon them? It is because they tasked Israel to heat hot water for them and to cool cold water for them;7The Israelites prepared water for them to bathe. therefore they were afflicted with boils so they would be unable to touch their bodies.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A great miracle was performed with the boils, as when a person shoots an arrow upward it does not travel one hundred cubits, and Moses threw a handful of the soot of a furnace, which lacks substance, and Moses threw it heavenward and it reached the Throne of Glory. Another miracle was performed with the boils, that what Moses’s hand held was two handfuls. Another miracle was performed with the boils: When a person scatters a kav of dust, it scatters only four cubits, but Moses took a handful8A handful is considerably less than a kav. and scattered it throughout the land of Egypt.
“The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron: Take for you handfuls of soot of the furnace” – a great miracle was performed with the boils, as both Moses and Aaron took their handfuls, and Moses’s hand held his handful and Aaron’s handful; from here, a small area can have a large capacity.6If God wills it.
This plague came upon them through the Holy One blessed be He, Moses, and Aaron, as both Moses and Aaron took the soot of the furnace, and Moses threw it heavenward, and the Holy One blessed be He transformed it into boils above, and it fell upon them.
“It will become dust over the entire land of Egypt, and will be boils erupting into blisters upon man and upon animal, throughout the land of Egypt” (Exodus 9:9).
“It will become dust over the entire land of Egypt” – why did He bring boils upon them? It is because they tasked Israel to heat hot water for them and to cool cold water for them;7The Israelites prepared water for them to bathe. therefore they were afflicted with boils so they would be unable to touch their bodies.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: A great miracle was performed with the boils, as when a person shoots an arrow upward it does not travel one hundred cubits, and Moses threw a handful of the soot of a furnace, which lacks substance, and Moses threw it heavenward and it reached the Throne of Glory. Another miracle was performed with the boils, that what Moses’s hand held was two handfuls. Another miracle was performed with the boils: When a person scatters a kav of dust, it scatters only four cubits, but Moses took a handful8A handful is considerably less than a kav. and scattered it throughout the land of Egypt.