Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Anyone who has food for themselves but nevertheless starves themselves in years of famine will be saved from an unusual death, as it is stated: “In famine, God will redeem you from death” (Job 5:20). This is derived from the precise wording of the verse. According to its straightforward meaning, instead of “in famine,” it should have said: From famine, as one is delivered from famine. Rather, this is what the verse is saying: As a reward for starving himself in years of famine, Job will be saved from an unusual death.

Similarly, Reish Lakish said: It is prohibited for a person to have conjugal relations in years of famine, so that children not be born during these difficult years. As it is stated: “And to Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came” (Genesis 41:50). It was taught in a baraita: Nevertheless, those without children may have marital relations in years of famine, as they must strive to fulfill the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply.

Likewise, the Sages taught in a baraita: When the Jewish people is immersed in distress, and one of them separates themselves from the community and does not share their suffering, the two ministering angels who accompany a person come and place their hands on their head, as though he was an offering, and say: This person, so-and-so, who has separated themselves from the community, let them not see the consolation of the community.

A similar idea is taught in another baraita: When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will go to my home and I will eat and drink, and peace be upon you, my soul. And if they do so, the verse says about them: “And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die” (Isaiah 22:13). And the prophecy continues with what is written afterward, in the following verse: “And the Lord of hosts revealed Godself in my ears: Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you until you die” (Isaiah 22:14).

The baraita comments: Up to this point is the attribute of middling people, who merely exclude themselves from the suffering of the community. However, with regard to the attribute of wicked people, what is written about those who hope for more of these days? “Come, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant” (Isaiah 56:12). And what is written afterward? “The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart, and godly men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come” (Isaiah 57:1). This verse teaches that righteous people suffer early death to prevent them from witnessing the harm that will befall these evil people.

The baraita continues: Rather, a person should be distressed together with the community. As we found with Moses our teacher that he was distressed together with the community, as it is stated during the war with Amalek: “But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat upon it” (Exodus 17:12). But didn’t Moses have one pillow or one cushion to sit upon; why was he forced to sit on a rock? Rather, Moses said as follows: Since the Jewish people are immersed in suffering, I too will be with them in suffering.

The baraita adds: And anyone who is distressed together with the community will merit seeing the consolation of the community. The baraita further states: And lest a person say, I have acted in secret; who will testify against me on the Day of Judgment? The tanna explains that the stones of a person’s house and the beams of a person’s house will testify against them, as it is stated: “For a stone shall cry out from the wall, and a beam out of the timber shall answer it” (Habakkuk 2:11).

In the school of Rabbi Sheila they say: The two ministering angels who accompany a person will testify against him, as it is stated: “For God will give God's angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways” (Psalms 91:11). Rabbi Ḥidka said: A person’s soul will testify against them, as it is stated: “Keep the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom” (Micah 7:5). And some say: A person's limbs will testify against them, as it is stated: “You are My witnesses, says the Lord” (Isaiah 43:10).

The baraita cites another verse that deals with judgment. “A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, God is just and righteous” (Deuteronomy 32:4). The baraita interprets “a God of faithfulness” to mean that just as punishment is exacted from the wicked in the World-to-Come even for a light transgression that they commit, so too, punishment is exacted from the righteous in this world for a light transgression that they commit. The righteous suffer their punishment in this world to purify them so they can enjoy the World-to-Come.

The baraita turns to the second section of the verse: “And without iniquity.” This teaches that just as reward is paid to the righteous in the World-to-Come even for a minor mitzva that they fulfill, so too, reward is paid to the wicked in this world for even a minor mitzva that they fulfill, to give the wicked all the reward they deserve for the performance of mitzvot in this world, and deprive them of any share in the World-to-Come.

With regard to the third section of the verse: “They are just and righteous,” the Sages said: At the hour of a person’s departure to their eternal home, all their deeds are enumerated before them and are rendered visible to them once again, and the deeds themselves say to them: You did such and such, in such and such a place, on such and such a day, and they says: Yes, that is exactly what happened. And they say to them: Sign a statement that this is correct, and they sign it, as it is stated: “God makes the hand of every person sign” (Job 37:7). And not only that, but after a person has been shown all their deeds, the person justifies the judgment upon themselves, and says to them: You have judged me well. This response serves to fulfill that which is stated: “That You may be justified when You speak and be right when You judge” (Psalms 51:6).

(12) My Lord GOD of Hosts summoned on that day To weeping and lamenting, To tonsuring and girding with sackcloth. (13) Instead, there was rejoicing and merriment, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” (14) Then the LORD of Hosts revealed Godself to my ears: “This iniquity shall never be forgiven you Until you die,” said my Lord GOD of Hosts.