The first sinner in the Torah is the cunning serpent, who exploited the innocence and blindness of Adam and Eve, causing them to stumble with evil counsel to eat from the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil," bringing death into the world. The serpent transgressed the commandment "You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind" and caused humanity to be covered with "garments of skin," with the opacity and turbidity of the skin of the snake.
Giving evil advice is "a matter entrusted to the heart," because the advisor can justify himself and claim that he had good intentions. The stumbling block begins with an evil intention in the heart שנאה בלב (hatred in the heart), which has the same gematria as מכשֹל (stumbling block). It is expressed through evil counsel in speech and culminates in action when the recipient of the advice actually stumbles.
Consequently, a deep rectification of the primordial sin requires purifying the heart from any trace of hatred, envy, or malice towards one's fellow – cleansing oneself of baseless hatred, which is the cause of destruction and exile.
Complete rectification of the sin is not merely abstaining from giving bad advice. True love for others must be expressed by giving good advice, at least when it is requested. Good counsel is complex and intricate, and one may stumble even unconsciously, due to lack of judgment or even a slight, unconscious negative attitude towards others. Why should we involve ourselves in this complexity?
"In an abundance of counselors there is salvation." The Torah commands those capable, to give their fellow good and sweet advice, "The counsel of a friend is sweet to the soul." To rectify the evil in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, one must give good advice within the complex reality in which we live, amidst the distractions of the physical world, and advice from the "Tree of Life" – enlivening and clear advice in the service of God, fulfillment of Torah and its commandments.
Like bad advice, good advice is primarily "a matter entrusted to the heart." To give others good advice, one must fulfill "Love your neighbor as yourself," giving them precisely the same advice one would give oneself in a similar situation. Of course, the advice must be "counsel that is fitting for him" – the good advice I would give myself is suitable for me, but not necessarily for others. The intention is that just as I would give myself the best and most appropriate advice for me, so too I should give him the best and most appropriate advice for him. To do this, one must 'enter the mind' of the friend, try to adapt to his character, thought patterns, and emotional world, and try to fulfill for him "Deep waters are counsel in a man's heart; a man of understanding will draw it out."
After formulating the best advice according to one's beliefs and understanding, one must also convey it as "counsel that is fitting for him," in an explanation and style that he understands and that resonates with him – so that he will adopt the advice and implement it in practice. A "man of understanding" gives good advice, but sometimes in the depths of understanding, the advisor discovers that the true answer is "I don't know." When this answer is conveyed with love and from the depths of the heart, it inspires the advisee to find the advice that is truly good for him within himself.
Giving good advice rectifies the primordial sin, returns humanity to the Garden of Eden, clothes it in "garments of light," and hastens the coming of the Messiah, who is called a "Wondrous Counselor."
