the Torah. It was taught in a Baraita that four types of people are accounted as though they were dead: a poor person, a person affected by skin disease (, metzora), a blind person, and one who is childless. A poor person is accounted as dead, for says, "for all the men are dead who sought your life" (and the Gemara interpreted this to mean that they had been stricken with poverty). A person affected by skin disease (, metzora) is accounted as dead, for says, "And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and behold, she was leprous (, metzora'at). And Aaron said to Moses . . . let her not be as one dead." The blind are accounted as dead, for says, "He has set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old." And one who is childless is accounted as dead, for in Rachel said, "Give me children, or else I am dead." A Midrash taught that Divine Justice first attacks a person's substance and then the person's body. So when leprous plagues come upon a person, first they come upon the fabric of the person's house. If the person repents, then requires that only the affected stones need to be pulled out; if the person does not repent, then requires pulling down the house. Then the plagues come upon the person's clothes. If the person repents, then the clothes require washing; if not, they require burning. Then the plagues come upon the person's body. If the person repents, provides for purification; if not, then ordains that the person "shall dwell alone." Similarly, the Tosefta reported that when a person would come to the priest, the priest would tell the person to engage in self-examination and turn from evil ways. The priest would continue that plagues come only from gossip, and skin disease from arrogance. But God would judge in mercy. The plague would come to the house, and if the homeowner repented, the house required only dismantling, but if the homeowner did not repent, the house required demolition. They would appear on clothing, and if the owner repented, the clothing required only tearing, but if the owner did not repent, the clothing required burning. They would appear on the person's body, and if the person repented, well and good, but if the person did not repent, required that the person "shall dwell alone." In the priest's