יחזקאל, פרק כ״ה, פסוק י״ב

During the darkest moments of the Kingdom of Judah, the neighboring nation of Edom—bound to Judah by blood—emerged not as a comforting ally, but as a cruel enemy. Seizing upon Judah's profound weakness, Edom sought to satisfy an ancient hatred and settle a long-standing historical score. The primary approach among commentators is that this betrayal took place during the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile. The Edomites did not necessarily destroy the city with their own hands. Instead, they stood by and gloated, secretly assisted the invaders, and committed the ultimate betrayal by blocking escape routes and handing fleeing refugees directly over to the enemy [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

This desire for revenge stemmed in part from the fact that Judah had ruled over Edom for much of their shared history [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, the vengeance was not merely a brief reaction to a specific grievance. It was a continuous campaign driven by a deep, blind hatred [מלבי״ם]. The moral weight of Edom's guilt is profound, rooted in a fundamental betrayal of brotherhood. By acting as absolute enemies, they completely ignored the ancient, familial bond between their ancestor Esau and Judah's ancestor Jacob [רד״ק, אברבנאל].

Beyond the events of the First Temple, this deep-seated hostility extends throughout history. The dual nature of Edom's vengeance hints at two separate eras of destruction. While the initial betrayal occurred during the fall of the First Temple, it also points forward to the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, who are historically identified with Edom. The Romans broke their treaties with Judah, slaughtered the people, and initiated centuries of persecution throughout the exile [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם]. The sheer wickedness of Edom's actions carries a heavy burden of guilt [מצודת ציון]. Textual traditions mark this guilt as unique compared to other sins, revealing that Edom's betrayal was never a simple mistake or a lapse in judgment, but rather a calculated, intentional act of pure malice [מנחת שי].