“A man, if he will have on the skin of his flesh a spot, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it will become a mark of leprosy on the skin of his flesh, he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons the priests” (Leviticus 13:2). “A man, if he will have on the skin of his flesh a spot, or a scab, or a bright spot” – that is what is written: “To set calibration of the wind and allocate water by measure” (Job 28:25).1This is related to the verse regarding spots of leprosy in that leprosy was thought to be caused by an imbalance in the body between water and blood, as will be explained at the end of section two.
Rav Huna said: In three instances wind emerged without calibration, and it had the capacity to destroy the world. These are they: One in the days of Job, one in the days of Jonah, and one in the days of Elijah. In the days of Job, as it is stated: “And behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness” (Job 1:19). In the days of Jonah, as it is stated: “But the Lord cast a great wind toward the sea” (Jonah 1:4).
In the days of Elijah, as it is stated: “He said: Go out and stand on the mountain [before the Lord]. And behold, the Lord was passing, and there was a great and powerful wind, smashing mountains” (I Kings 19:11). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: It was the same one [in the time] of Job, [in the time] of Jonah, [and in the time] of Elijah. The one [in the time] of Job was for that house.2It blew only on the house of Job’s eldest son and blew it down.
The one [in the time] of Jonah was for that ship. The one [in the time] of Elijah was for that action.3It was only for God’s revelation to Elijah. But the greatest among them was the one of Elijah. That is what is written: “Go out and stand on the mountain [before the Lord].”4It smashed mountains and shattered stones everywhere that was before God, i.e., the entire world.
Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Ḥiyya said, and some say it in the name of the Rabbis: The messianic king will come only after all the souls that [God] intended to create will be finished. These are those that are stated in the book of Adam the first man. That is what is written: “This is the book of the descendants of Adam” (Genesis 5:1). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: When the wind emerges from before the Holy One blessed be He, He breaks it on the mountains, weakens it on the hills, and says to it: ‘Be careful that you do not harm My creations,’ as it is stated: “For the wind will submit before Me and it is I who crafted their souls” (Isaiah 57:16); ‘For the sake of the souls that I crafted.’
“And allocate water by measure” – Rabbi Yudan bar Rabbi Shimon said: Even water that descends from above is given only by measure.5Rain is a blessing, and it is given only in the proper measure lest it cause harm. That is what is written: “For He withholds [yegara] water drops” (Job 36:27), and it is written: “And it shall be deducted [venigra] from your valuation” (Leviticus 27:18).