## Midrash Tanchuma, Tazria

###### Midrash Tanchuma, Tazria 10:1
[Midrash Tanchuma, Tazria 10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma/s/Tazria/r/10:1)

**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.

**Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, trans. Samuel A. Berman:**
(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.⁴⁹ 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.”

footnotes:
⁴⁹ Cf. Lev. R. 17:4.