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.
I have observed that many people are negligent in this area. When someone of modest means greets a wealthy person, the latter turns away and it goes without saying if the one who greeted him was poor. For he does not wish even to look upon the face of a poor man, therefore he behaves as if he neither saw nor heard him. Consequently according to the passage above he is called a thief. All this is the result of excessive pride. Because the rich man does not wish to respond to one of modest means, let alone a poor person, he turns his face to the side. This causes shame to the poor person who then turns his own face to the other side. Thus it seems to me that they can be likened to a two-headed eagle, with one head turned this way and one turned the other way. Perhaps it is concerning such a situation that Scripture warns, “If you elevate yourself like an eagle … from there I will cast you down, says Hashem.” For the Holy One Blessed is He is exalted above all else and knows every hidden matter and He will humble the wealthy who behave in this manner. At the same time, He will elevate the lowly ׀ that is, the poor. Thus the Holy One Blessed is He fashions a sort of “ladder,” by means of which, over time, the poor become rich, while the rich man becomes poor.
Therefore I admonish anyone with sense to remove this stumbling block from before his feet by responding to every man’s greeting. If someone greets him with “Peace!” let him respond likewise. This will cause our hearts to draw closer to one another. By contrast, if the rich man does not take the trouble to respond to the poor man the latter cries out to Hashem bitterly in his heart and Hashem surely hears his voice because He is a gracious God.
But there is something else that I have witnessed that is even more despicable than this. If a rich man becomes arrogant on account of his wealth or the clever man on account of his intelligence, one can rationalize on their behalf to some degree because their pride was brought about by their wealth or wisdom. I am more disturbed, however, by those who have nothing to their credit ׀ neither Torah and wisdom nor even material wealth. What is the basis, then, for their pride?
Therefore, my brother and friend, turn away! Turn away from the path of pride and be sure to speak to every man and draw the poor near to you. Be especially careful to greet the poor and certainly to return their greetings, for then the One who makes peace On High will bestow peace upon us and upon all Israel, Amein.
כְּתִיב (עוֹבַדְיָה א, דֹ): "אִם תַּגְבִּיהַ כַּנֶּשֶׁר וְאִם בֵּין כּוֹכָבִים שִׂים קִנֶּךָ, מִשָּׁם אוֹרִידְךָ נְאֻם ה' וְגוֹ'". עַל דֶּרֶךְ הֲלָצָה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ הַפָּסוּק, רַק נַקְדִּים גְּמָרָא דִּבְרָכוֹת (מד, ב): "וְאַתֶּם בִּעַרְתֶּם הַכֶּרֶם, גְּזֵלַת הֶעָנִי בְּבָתֵּיכֶם" — כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא עָנִי, הֵיאַךְ יְכוֹלִין לִגְזֹל אֶת הֶעָנִי? כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין לֶעָנִי שׁוּם דָּבָר! אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ: אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֶעָנִי נוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם, וְלֹא הֶחֱזִיר לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, נִקְרָא גַּזְלָן. עַיֵּן שָׁם.
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.
וְהִנֵּה הֶעָווֹן זֶה רָאִיתִי שֶׁרַבִּים נִכְשָׁלִים בּוֹ: כְּשֶׁאָדָם בֵּינוֹנִי נוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם לְעָשִׁיר, אֲזַי הֶעָשִׁיר הוּא מַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁעָנִי הוּא נוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם — אֲזַי אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהַבִּיט בְּפָנָיו שֶׁל הֶעָנִי, וְעוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ עֵינוֹ אֵינָהּ רוֹאָה, וְאָזְנוֹ אֵינָהּ שׁוֹמַעַת. וְאִם כֵּן, לְפִי הַגְּמָרָא הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת לְעֵיל נִקְרָא גַּזְלָן. וְכָל זֶה הוּא מִפְּנֵי גַּאֲוָה יְתֵרָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהָשִׁיב לְאָדָם בֵּינוֹנִי, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְאָדָם עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן. וּמֵרֹב הַגַּאֲוָה שֶׁל הֶעָשִׁיר הוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו לְצַד אַחֵר, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הֶעָנִי הוּא מְבֻיָּשׁ וְהוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו לְצַד אַחֵר. וְדוֹמֶה הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינַי כְּאִלּוּ הֵן נֶשֶׁר, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים: רֹאשׁוֹ אֶחָד מְהַפֵּךְ פָּנָיו לְצַד אֶחָד, וְרֹאשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי מְהַפֵּךְ פָּנָיו לְצַד אַחֵר, וְעַל אָדָם בַּעַל גַּאֲוָה כָּזֶה נֶאֱמַר: אִם תַּגְבִּיהַ כַּנֶּשֶׁר — מִשָּׁם אוֹרִידְךָ נְאֻם ה' וְגוֹ'. כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גָּבוֹהַּ מֵעַל גְּבוֹהִים וְיוֹדֵעַ כָּל הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת, הוּא מַשְׁפִּיל הָעֲשִׁירִים שֶׁעוֹשִׂים כֵּן, וּמַגְבִּיהַ שְׁפָלִים — הֵן הָעֲנִיִּים. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה סֻלָּמוֹת: זֶה הֶעָנִי יִהְיֶה בְּקֶרֶב יָמִים עָשִׁיר, וְהֶעָשִׁיר — עָנִי.
I have observed that many people are negligent in this area. When someone of modest means greets a wealthy person, the latter turns away and it goes without saying if the one who greeted him was poor. For he does not wish even to look upon the face of a poor man, therefore he behaves as if he neither saw nor heard him. Consequently according to the passage above he is called a thief. All this is the result of excessive pride. Because the rich man does not wish to respond to one of modest means, let alone a poor person, he turns his face to the side. This causes shame to the poor person who then turns his own face to the other side. Thus it seems to me that they can be likened to a two-headed eagle, with one head turned this way and one turned the other way. Perhaps it is concerning such a situation that Scripture warns, “If you elevate yourself like an eagle … from there I will cast you down, says Hashem.” For the Holy One Blessed is He is exalted above all else and knows every hidden matter and He will humble the wealthy who behave in this manner. At the same time, He will elevate the lowly ׀ that is, the poor. Thus the Holy One Blessed is He fashions a sort of “ladder,” by means of which, over time, the poor become rich, while the rich man becomes poor.
עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מַזְהִיר לְכָל בַּר דַּעַת לְהָסִיר מִכְשׁוֹל זֶה מֵעַל פָּנָיו, לְהָשִׁיב לְכָל אָדָם כְּשֶׁנּוֹתֵן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, יַחֲזִיר וְיִתֵּן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם. אֲזַי הַלְּבָבוֹת יִהְיוּ קְרוֹבוֹת. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן כְּשֶׁהֶעָשִׁיר אֵינוֹ שָׂם לִבּוֹ לִפְנוֹת אֶל הֶעָנִי, אֲזַי צָעֹק יִצְעַק הֶעָנִי בְּמַר לִבּוֹ אֶל ה', וּבְוַדַּאי יִשְׁמַע ה' אֶת קוֹל הֶעָנִי, כִּי חַנּוּן הוּא.
Therefore I admonish anyone with sense to remove this stumbling block from before his feet by responding to every man’s greeting. If someone greets him with “Peace!” let him respond likewise. This will cause our hearts to draw closer to one another. By contrast, if the rich man does not take the trouble to respond to the poor man the latter cries out to Hashem bitterly in his heart and Hashem surely hears his voice because He is a gracious God.
וְהִנֵּה רָאִיתִי, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּנֵי אָדָם עֲשִׁירִים, וּמֵחֲמַת עָשְׁרָן הוּא בַּעַל גַּאֲוָה. וְהִנֵּה בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁהֵן חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים, וּמֵחֲמַת חָכְמָתוֹ שֶׁעָמְדָה לוֹ הוּא בַּעַל גַּאֲוָה. מִכָּל מָקוֹם, עַל אוֹתָן אֲנָשִׁים יֵשׁ לִי לִלְמֹד זְכוּת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם קְצָת גַּאֲוָה מֵחֲמַת עָשְׁרָם אוֹ מֵחֲמַת חָכְמָתָם. אֲבָל אֲנִי כּוֹעֵס עַל אוֹתָן אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינָם מְיֻחָסִים, וְאֵין לָהֶם תּוֹרָה וְחָכְמָה, וְאֵין לָהֶם עשֶׁר — לָמָּה וְעַל מַה יִּהְיֶה לָהֶם הַגַּאֲוָה?!
But there is something else that I have witnessed that is even more despicable than this. If a rich man becomes arrogant on account of his wealth or the clever man on account of his intelligence, one can rationalize on their behalf to some degree because their pride was brought about by their wealth or wisdom. I am more disturbed, however, by those who have nothing to their credit ׀ neither Torah and wisdom nor even material wealth. What is the basis, then, for their pride?
עַל כֵּן, אַחַי וְרֵעַי, סוּרוּ סוּרוּ מִן דַּרְכֵי הַגַּאֲוָה וְתִרְאוּ לְדַבֵּר עִם כָּל אָדָם וּלְקָרֵב הָעֲנִיִּים, וּבִפְרָט שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים שָׁלוֹם לָעֲנִיִּים, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מְחֻיָּב לְהַחֲזִיר לוֹ שָׁלוֹם, וְאָז עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמֵן.
Therefore, my brother and friend, turn away! Turn away from the path of pride and be sure to speak to every man and draw the poor near to you. Be especially careful to greet the poor and certainly to return their greetings, for then the One who makes peace On High will bestow peace upon us and upon all Israel, Amein.