Musar for Jonah 1:15

The decree of Heaven does not rest and will not be silenced until it has completed its task and taken his soul from his body. This hinted at in the verse, “And they bore Yonah” (1:15). That is, upon his death a person’s body is born to the cemetery. As this is taking place heralds go ahead of his casket. If he has lived meritoriously they proclaim, “Give honor to the image of the King! Let him come in peace!” (Yeshayahu 57:2). This is alluded to in the verse, “And your righteousness will go before you” (ibid. 58:8). That is, it will go ahead of your casket. But if he sullied himself with sin, Heaven forbid, then they proclaim, “Woe to So-and-so! It would have been better had he not been born!” Concerning this was it written, “And they cast him into the sea and the sea stopped its raging” (Yonah 1:15). That is, when they brought him to the cemetery. The fish that swallowed Yonah represents the grave. During the first three days that the body is in the grave the intestines burst open. After three days they cast their filth upon his face, saying, “Take back what you put into me! You ate and drank but did not give to the poor. You spent all your days as if they were holidays and festivals, while the poor went hungry and were not invited to eat with you. So take back what you put into me.” This is the meaning of the verse, “And I will scatter excrement upon your faces, etc.” (Malachi 2:3).