LEV158 Observe the laws regarding a house stricken by tzara’as. It is not natural that tzara’as strike a house. It is a miracle. Sometimes Hashem performs such miracles on Jewish homes out of His love for His people, to inform the owners that He is not pleased with their actions. By striking a house with tzara’as, He rebukes and warns the owner to mend his ways before the tzara’as strikes his body. If the owner of the house does not repent, Hashem warns him again by sending tzara’as upon his clothes. If that, too, does not stir him to repent, the tzara’as spreads to his body. Also, our Sages teach that when our forefathers came out of the desert and conquered the land of Canaan, many took up residence in the houses that were already there. To bestow good upon His people, Hashem afflicted some of the houses with tzara’as, so that the structures would be demolished and treasures hidden within the walls would be discovered. Although Hashem did not need to afflict their houses with tzara’as, for He could have told one of His prophets about the presence of the treasures, He did not tell a prophet, for Hashem prefers to benefit His people through hidden miracles. Therefore, He chose a more indirect way of causing the treasures to be discovered.