אמר הכתוב בנגעי הבתים ונתתי נגע צרעת לרמוז כי יד ה' תעשה זאת לא טבע כלל כמו שפירשתי (רמב"ן על ויקרא י״ג:מ״ז) ואמר כי תבואו אל ארץ כנען וגו' בבית ארץ אחוזתכם כי עם כל ישראל ידבר והיה ראוי אחרי וידבר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן שיאמר דברו אל בני ישראל אבל יקצר הכתוב במובן או שידבר עמהם במקום כל ישראל וירמוז כי אין הכונה עתה רק ללמד להם דיני הצרעת כולם ושילמדו אותם לכהנים ולא יזהיר משה עתה את כל ישראל רק לבאי הארץ יזהיר (דברים כד ח) השמר בנגע הצרעת לשמור מאד וגו' כי להם צוה מתחלה המשפטים האלה: Scripture states with reference to plagues in houses, and ‘I’ shall put the plague of leprosy, in order to allude to the fact that it was G-d’s hand that did this, and not an act of nature at all, as I have explained.80Above, 13:47. It states, When ye are come into the land of Canaan etc. in a house of the Land of your possession,81Verse 34 before us. because He is speaking to all Israel [since Moses and Aaron did not come into the Land]. Now it would have been proper that after the verse, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,82Verse 33. He should continue to state, “Speak ye unto the children of Israel.” But Scripture shortens the account since it is self-understood [that the command was to be given to the children of Israel who would enter the Land]. Or it may be that he spoke to them in the place of [i.e., as representing] all Israel, and hinted that the intention [of giving the commandment] now is merely to teach them all the laws of leprosy, and that they in turn should teach them to the priests, and Moses did not warn all Israel now [about these laws, as they did not apply until they came into the Land]. It was only those who came into the Land that he warned, Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently etc.,83Deuteronomy 24:8. See ibid., 1:3 where it says that the Book of Deuteronomy was said in the fortieth year, i.e., to those about to enter the Land. for it was to them that he commanded at first to take heed in these ordinances.