Musar sobre Obadias 1:4

Nachmanides (Chavell edition page 158), describes the meaning of the dream according to Rabbi Eliezer the Great as follows: This vision is similar to the vision Abraham experienced at the ברית בין הבתרים (Genesis 15), where G–d showed Abraham the four kingdoms who would rule over Israel in exile. The rise and fall of these empires is compared to angels ascending and descending the ladder. The reason they are called "angels of G–d," is similar to Daniel 10,20 where the angel Gabriel describes himself as ready to do battle with the angels described as שר מלכות יון, and as שר מלכות פרס respectively. G–d promised that He would be with Jacob (people of Israel) in all his sojourns with them, would protect and save him from those empires. G–d showed Jacob how these four empires would rise and subsequently fall. He also showed him that the angel representing Babylon would rise to a height of seventy rungs on the ladder before descending, (seventy years' exile), whereas the angel representing the kingdom of the Medes would ascend one hundred and eighty rungs before descending. When shown the angel representing the kingdom of Edom ascending and not descending, Jacob asked G–d to hurl him down into the grave. G–d responded that even if he, Edom, were to climb sky-high, He would bring him down (Ovadiah 1,4).

It is stated, “If you elevate yourself like an eagle and if you place your nest among the stars, from there I will cast you down, says Hashem” (Ovadyah 1:4). I would like to explain this verse homiletically, but first I must preface with a passage from the Talmud (Berachos 6b): What is meant by the verse, “But you have burnt the vineyard; the theft of the poor is in your houses” (Yeshayahu 3:14)? If someone is poor, what can one steal from him? After all, he is lacking for everything! Rabbi Chalbo said in the name of Rav Huna, “When a poor man greets someone with ‘Peace!’ and the latter does not respond likewise, he is called a thief.

Esau is characterized as "descending;" this is alluded to in Ovadiah 1,4, where the prophet says to Edom: "Even if you place your nest among the stars, I shall bring you down from there." When Rebeccah said; "your curse upon me, my son," she referred to what had already occurred in her womb before the twins were born, i.e. that everything that is accursed was already concentrated in Esau. He, Jacob, did not have to worry, seeing he was already blessed.