Shlomo Hamelech, peace be upon him, wrote in Koheles, “I have seen all the deeds that are done beneath the sun and indeed they are all vapor and a shattering of the spirit” (1:14). That is, if the vapor of a deed is blemished it does not ascend beyond the sun to the higher regions but floats about beneath the sun. Everything that is done in the world produces vapor. Just as speech produces vapor so do deeds. The vapor of good deeds ascends On High immediately, where it is crowned and becomes a defender for the doer before the Holy One Blessed is He. But if a person performs vain deeds the vapor floats about in this world. Then as soon as his soul exits his body the vapor takes hold of his soul and casts it several parsaos, afflicting it greatly. This is what King Shlomo meant when he said, “I have seen all the deeds that are done beneath the sun and indeed they are all vapor and a shattering of the spirit.” That is, he saw those deeds the vapor of which does not ascend above the sun to the higher regions but floats about beneath the sun. It is then that a person brings about his own detriment, especially if he misused his faculty of speech, uttering unseemly things about his fellow without cause. The vapor of these utterances then goes and accuses him.
This is particularly true when a person speaks slanderously in a public lecture. Speakers often make the mistake of discussing openly the sin of Adam, Yosef’s sale or the incident of David and Batsheva, enlarging on these incidents unjustly. One is not permitted to make public that which the Torah concealed. And even if he hit upon the truth he will still be made to reckon for it. But the matter is more serious still when the lecturer fabricates details, attributing unworthy behavior to Hashem’s handiwork and the first human being — Adam, or to the tribes, who are known as the “Tribes of God” [Shivtei Kah], or to King David or other lofty saints.
I will transcribe for you here a passage from Zohar Chadash (Parashas Bereishis 24a): Our Rabbis have taught: When Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai became ill, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Abahu came to visit him. “How can someone who is the pillar of the world possibly die?” they asked. Rabbi Shimon responded, “It is not the Heavenly court that is examining my case. For I have seen that I will not be delivered into the hands of any angel or to the judgment of the Heavenly court, for I am not like other people. Rather the Holy One Blessed is He will decide my case. This is what King David meant when he wrote, ‘Judge me, O God, etc.’ (Tehillim 43:1). Similarly, King Shlomo said, ‘To render the judgment of His servant and the judgment of His people.’ That is, the judgment of His servant is rendered separately from that of other people. “Thus have we learned: ‘When a man dies and the Heavenly court considers his case, some members of the court are inclined to exonerate him while others are inclined to condemn him since they see the guilt of human beings. But if the decision is rendered in the presence of the Holy One Blessed is He it will always be for the good.’ Why is this? Because we have learned: ‘The attributes of the Supernal King always incline to the side of merit.’ For He is entirely merciful and it is in His hands to forgive sins and iniquities. “This is the meaning of the verse, ‘For with You is forgiveness’ (Tehillim 130:4). That is, with Him and with no one else. For this reason I have asked Him to judge my case. At that time I will pass through twelve gates in the World to Come that no one has ever passed through other than the Patriarchs and no one will protest. Moreover, I will not need to request permission.”
Then Rabbi Shimon whispered something and suddenly they looked at his sickbed and saw that he was no longer there. They were all astonished and stricken dumb with fear. But while they were yet sitting there the fragrance of many beautiful spices wafted in, strengthening them until they could again perceive Rabbi Shimon, who was now speaking with someone, although they could see no one other than him. After a while Rabbi Shimon asked them, “Did any of you see anything?” Rabbi Pinchas answered, “No. But we were all astounded when we did not see you in your sickbed for a long time. Then when we finally saw you again we could detect the fragrance of the spices of Gan Eden and we heard you speaking, although we did not know with whom.” Rabbi Shimon asked, “Did you not hear any speech other than mine?” “No,” they replied. “I am surprised that Rabbi Pinchas did not see anything,” said Rabbi Shimon, “for I beheld him just now in the other world seated just below my son Rabbi Elazar. They had sent for me from On High and showed me the places of the righteous in the World to Come. As for me, my heart found no place acceptable other than the one alongside Achiyah HaShiloni.
So I selected my place and then returned. “Along with me came three hundred souls of the righteous and above them all, the soul of Adam. It was he who was sitting and speaking with me. He requested that I refrain from revealing to the world more about his sin than the Torah had already revealed. He had covered himself with that tree from Gan Eden.” “I explained that I had already revealed the matter to the companions, but he said that that was alright and acceptable. It was only to the rest of the world that I was not to reveal it. Why? Because the Holy One Blessed is He had pity on Adam’s honor and did not wish to reveal the nature of his iniquity but only the tree from which he ate…” Then Rabbi Shimon’s son Rabbi Elazar approached him and said, “Father, what is my station in that world?” “Fortunate is your lot, my son,” he replied. “A long time will pass before you are buried beside me but in that world your place is beside me. I have already chosen it for you…”
From this passage you can see that public speakers do not do right when they speak openly in the synagogues and study halls before multitudes that include the ignorant and say things like, “Adam was a heretic” or that he was guilty of idolatry, immorality and bloodshed, and the like. How can one say such things about the handiwork of the Holy One Blessed is He, who was in fact a perfect saint? All the souls of all the generations hung suspended from him and the souls of the wicked were also suspended from his soul or from one of his limbs. These are the sinners who behave rashly and are quick to sin. But the unique soul of Adam himself never sinned at all because it was the holy of holies.
As is made clear in the Zohar Chadash a lecturer places himself in great danger when he speaks disparagingly about Adam. In fact, he risks becoming a fulfillment of the verse, “And many of them will perish” (Shemos 19:21), therefore it is proper to rebuke those who do this. For the Holy One Blessed is He is not pleased with those who criticize His people Israel or the souls of the righteous. The Torah displays concern even for the dignity of the wicked. Thus the Sages comment on the verse, “And you shall kill the animal” (Vayikra 20:15), that this was in order that no one would be able to say, “So-and-so committed a sin with this animal” (Sanhedrin 54a; Tanchuma, Parashas Balak, 9).
Therefore one should interpret Adam’s sin favorably, as well as the sin of the calf and the sale of Yosef. If one adopts the trait of always speaking in praise one will merit length of days and years, Amein.
שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם כָּתַב בְּקֹהֶלֶת: רָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂים תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ. פֵּרוּשׁ: אוֹתָן הַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁהֶבֶל שֶׁלָּהֶם הוּא דִּבְרֵי שֶׁמֶץ וְדֹפִי — הֶבֶל כָּזֶה אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּמַעֲלוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת, אֶלָּא אָזִיל וְשָׁט תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, כִּי לְכָל עִנְיָנִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם יֵשׁ הֶבֶל. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ הֶבֶל בְּדִבּוּר, כֵּן יֵשׁ הֶבֶל בְּמַעֲשֶׂה. וְאִם יֵשׁ הֶבֶל שֶׁל מִצְוָה, אֲזַי מִיָּד אוֹתוֹ הַהֶבֶל עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה וּמִתְעַטֵּר לְמַעְלָה וְיַעֲשֶׂה סָנֵגוֹר קַמֵּי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּבְאִם הָאָדָם מְדַבֵּר דִּבְרֵי שָׁוְא, אֲזַי הַהֶבֶל שֶׁל פְּעֻלָּה זוֹ אָזִיל וְשָׁט בְּעָלְמָא. וּמִיָּד כְּשֶׁתֵּצֵא נִשְׁמָתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה הָאָדָם, אֲזַי אוֹחֵז הַהֶבֶל בְּנִשְׁמָתוֹ וְזוֹרְקֵהוּ כַּמָּה פַּרְסָאוֹת וּמְיַסֵּר אוֹתוֹ מְאֹד. וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ: וְרָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים, אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשׂוּ תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ. פֵּרוּשׁ: אוֹתָן הַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁהֶבֶל שֶׁלָּהֶם אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּמַעֲלוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת, אֶלָּא אָזִיל וְשָׁט תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ — אֲזַי הוּא גּוֹרֵם רָעָה לְעַצְמוֹ. וּבִפְרָט מִי שֶׁהוּא פּוֹגֵם בְּדִבּוּרוֹ וְדוֹבֵר דְּבָרִים שֶׁל כִּעוּר עַל חֲבֵרוֹ בְּחִנָּם, אֲזַי הֶבֶל זֶה מְקַטְרֵג.
Shlomo Hamelech, peace be upon him, wrote in Koheles, “I have seen all the deeds that are done beneath the sun and indeed they are all vapor and a shattering of the spirit” (1:14). That is, if the vapor of a deed is blemished it does not ascend beyond the sun to the higher regions but floats about beneath the sun. Everything that is done in the world produces vapor. Just as speech produces vapor so do deeds. The vapor of good deeds ascends On High immediately, where it is crowned and becomes a defender for the doer before the Holy One Blessed is He. But if a person performs vain deeds the vapor floats about in this world. Then as soon as his soul exits his body the vapor takes hold of his soul and casts it several parsaos, afflicting it greatly. This is what King Shlomo meant when he said, “I have seen all the deeds that are done beneath the sun and indeed they are all vapor and a shattering of the spirit.” That is, he saw those deeds the vapor of which does not ascend above the sun to the higher regions but floats about beneath the sun. It is then that a person brings about his own detriment, especially if he misused his faculty of speech, uttering unseemly things about his fellow without cause. The vapor of these utterances then goes and accuses him.
וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁאָדָם מוֹצִיא דִּבָּה וְדוֹרֵשׁ בְּרַבִּים, וּבָאִים לִידֵי שְׁגִיאָה, וְדוֹרְשִׁים בְּחֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אוֹ בְּחֵטְא מְכִירַת יוֹסֵף וּבְמַעֲשֶׂה דָּוִד וּבַת שֶׁבַע, וְהֵמָּה מַפְלִיגִים בַּחֲטָאִים שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין, וְהַתּוֹרָה כִּסָּהוּ — אִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְפַרְסֵם. אַף שֶׁהַדַּרְשָׁן כִּוֵּן לָאֱמֶת, מִכָּל מָקוֹם עָתִיד לִתֵּן אֶת הַדִּין. וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִם הַדַּרְשָׁן בּוֹדֶה מִלִּבּוֹ וּבִקֵּשׁ לִתְלוֹת בּוּקֵי סְרִיקִי בְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, יְצִיר כַּפָּיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אוֹ בְּהַשְּׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ, אוֹ בְּדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, וּבְדוֹמֵיהֶן שֶׁהֵן חֲסִידֵי עֶלְיוֹן.
This is particularly true when a person speaks slanderously in a public lecture. Speakers often make the mistake of discussing openly the sin of Adam, Yosef’s sale or the incident of David and Batsheva, enlarging on these incidents unjustly. One is not permitted to make public that which the Torah concealed. And even if he hit upon the truth he will still be made to reckon for it. But the matter is more serious still when the lecturer fabricates details, attributing unworthy behavior to Hashem’s handiwork and the first human being — Adam, or to the tribes, who are known as the “Tribes of God” [Shivtei Kah], or to King David or other lofty saints.
וְהִנֵּה אַצִּיג לְךָ מַאֲמָר אֶחָד, מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית זֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן: כְּשֶׁחָלָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי, עָאלוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר וְרַבִּי חִיָּא וְרַבִּי אַבָּהוּ. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאן דְּהוּא קִיּוּמָא דְּעָלְמָא שְׁכִיב?! אָמַר לְהוּ: לֹא בֵּית דִּינָא דְּעֵילָא מְעַיְּנִין בְּדִינָאִי, דְּהָא אֲנָא חֲדָאִי דְּלָא אֲנָא אִתְיַהַב לְמַלְאָכָא וּלְדִינָא דִּלְעֵילָא, דַּאֲנָא לָאו כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, אֶלָּא הַאי דִּינָא דִּילִי — קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דַּיְנָא לֵיהּ, וְלֹא בֵּית דִּינָא. וְהַיְנוּ דְּאָמַר דָּוִד מַלְכָּא: שָׁפְטֵנִי אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ'. וְכֵן שְׁלֹמֹה אָמַר: לַעֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפַּט עַבְדּוֹ וּמִשְׁפַּט עַמּוֹ — מִשְׁפַּט עַבְדּוֹ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְלֹא אָחֳרָא, דְּהָא תַּנִּינָן: כְּשֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹכֵב, בֵּית דִּינָא דִּלְעֵילָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּדִינוֹי; אִית מִנְּהוֹן דְּנָטִין לְכַף זְכוּת, וְאִית מִנְּהוֹן דְּנָטִין לְכַף חוֹבָא, כֵּיוָן דְּחַזְיָן חוֹבָא בְּבַר נָשׁ. וְכַד דִּינָא הֲוָה קַמֵּיהּ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לֹא נָפִיק אִינַשׁ לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּהַהוּא דִּינָא בַּר טָב. מַאי טַעֲמָא? דְּהָא תַּנִּינָן: מְכִילוֹי (פֵּרוּשׁ: מִדּוֹת) דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה נָטוּי לִזְכוּתָא תָּדִיר, הוּא כֻּלֵּיהּ צַד רַחֲמָנוּת, וּבְיָדוֹ לְשַׁבְקָא לְחַטָּאִין וְחוֹבִין. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: כִּי עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה — וְלֹא עִם אַחֵר, וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵינָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּהוּא יָדוּן דִּינָאִי, וַאֲנָא אָעִיל בִּתְרֵיסַר בָּבֵי דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי דְּלָא אַעְבְּרוּ לוֹן בַּר אַבְהָתָא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִמְחֶה בְּיָדִי. וְעוֹד: דְּלָא אִתְבַּע רְשׁוּתָא.
I will transcribe for you here a passage from Zohar Chadash (Parashas Bereishis 24a): Our Rabbis have taught: When Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai became ill, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Abahu came to visit him. “How can someone who is the pillar of the world possibly die?” they asked. Rabbi Shimon responded, “It is not the Heavenly court that is examining my case. For I have seen that I will not be delivered into the hands of any angel or to the judgment of the Heavenly court, for I am not like other people. Rather the Holy One Blessed is He will decide my case. This is what King David meant when he wrote, ‘Judge me, O God, etc.’ (Tehillim 43:1). Similarly, King Shlomo said, ‘To render the judgment of His servant and the judgment of His people.’ That is, the judgment of His servant is rendered separately from that of other people. “Thus have we learned: ‘When a man dies and the Heavenly court considers his case, some members of the court are inclined to exonerate him while others are inclined to condemn him since they see the guilt of human beings. But if the decision is rendered in the presence of the Holy One Blessed is He it will always be for the good.’ Why is this? Because we have learned: ‘The attributes of the Supernal King always incline to the side of merit.’ For He is entirely merciful and it is in His hands to forgive sins and iniquities. “This is the meaning of the verse, ‘For with You is forgiveness’ (Tehillim 130:4). That is, with Him and with no one else. For this reason I have asked Him to judge my case. At that time I will pass through twelve gates in the World to Come that no one has ever passed through other than the Patriarchs and no one will protest. Moreover, I will not need to request permission.”
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי מִלָּה, וַחֲמוּ בְּבֵי מַרֵעֵיהּ, דְּלָא הֲוֵי תַּמָּן. תַּוְהוּ, וְלֹא יְכִילוּ לְמַלְּלָא מִדְּחִילוּ רַבָּא דַּהֲוֵי עֲלֵיהוֹן, עַד דַּהֲוֵי יַתְבֵי, סְלִיק לוֹן רֵיחִין דְּבֻסְמִין סַגִּיאִין, וְכָל חַד וְחַד מִנְּהוֹן אִתְיַשָּׁר חֵילֵיהּ, עַד דַּהֲוֵי חֲמוּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי וַהֲוֵי מְמַלֵּל מִלִּין, וְלָא הֲוֵי חֲמָאָן בַּר מִנֵּיהּ. לְבָתַר עִדָּן אָמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי: חֲמִיתוּן מִידִי. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי פִּנְחָס: לָא, אֶלָּא כֻּלָּנוּ תַּוְהִין עַל מַה דְּלָא חֲמִינָא לָךְ בְּבֵי מַרְעָךְ זְמַן רַב. וְכַד חֲמֵינָן לָךְ. סָלִיק לוֹן רֵיחִין וּבֻסְמִין דְּגַן עֵדֶן וּשְׁמַעְנָא קָלָךְ מְמַלֵּל, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא מִי מְמַלֵּל עִמָּךְ. אָמַר לוֹן: וְלָא שְׁמַעְתּוּן מִלָּה אֲחוֹרָנוֹי בַּר מִדִּידִי? אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: לָא. אָמַר: תְּמִיהָנָא עַל רַבִּי פִּנְחָס דְּלָא חֲמָא, דַּאֲנָא חֲמִית לֵיהּ כְּעַן בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא לְתַתָּא מֵרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנִי. וּכְעַן שָׁדְרוּ בְּדִילִי מִלְּעֵילָא וְאֶחֱזוּן לִי אַתְרָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְלֹא אִתְיַשַּׁר בִּלִבָּאֵי דּוּכְתָּאִי בַּר עִם אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילוֹנִי.
Then Rabbi Shimon whispered something and suddenly they looked at his sickbed and saw that he was no longer there. They were all astonished and stricken dumb with fear. But while they were yet sitting there the fragrance of many beautiful spices wafted in, strengthening them until they could again perceive Rabbi Shimon, who was now speaking with someone, although they could see no one other than him. After a while Rabbi Shimon asked them, “Did any of you see anything?” Rabbi Pinchas answered, “No. But we were all astounded when we did not see you in your sickbed for a long time. Then when we finally saw you again we could detect the fragrance of the spices of Gan Eden and we heard you speaking, although we did not know with whom.” Rabbi Shimon asked, “Did you not hear any speech other than mine?” “No,” they replied. “I am surprised that Rabbi Pinchas did not see anything,” said Rabbi Shimon, “for I beheld him just now in the other world seated just below my son Rabbi Elazar. They had sent for me from On High and showed me the places of the righteous in the World to Come. As for me, my heart found no place acceptable other than the one alongside Achiyah HaShiloni.
וּבָרִירְנָא דּוּכְתָּאִי וְאָתִינָא וְאָתֵי עִמִּי תְּלַת מֵאוֹת נְשָׁמוֹת דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא וּלְעֵילָא מִנְּהוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דַּהֲוֵי יָתִיב גַּבַּאִי וַהֲוֵי מְמַלֵּל עִמִּי וּבָעָא דְּלָא אִתְגַּלֵּי חוֹבֵיהּ לְכָל עָלְמָא בַּר מַאי דְּאָמְרָה הַתּוֹרָה בְּגִינֵיהּ וְאִתְכַּסְיָא בְּהַהִיא אִילָנָא דְּגַן עֵדֶן. וַאֲנָא אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, דְּהָא לְחַבְרַיָּא גָּלִי כְּבָר! אָמַר: הַאי דְּגָלִית לְחַבְרַיָּא טָב וְשַׁפִּיר עָבְדִית, אֲבָל לֹא לִשְׁאָר עָלְמָא. מַאי טַעֲמָא? דְּחָס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל יְקָרִי, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְפַרְסְמָא הַהוּא חוֹבָא אֶלָּא בְּהַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּאָכַל מִנֵּיהּ וְכוּ'. קָרִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ: אַבָּא, מָה אֲנָא הָתָם? אָמַר לֵיהּ: זַכָּאָה חוּלְקָךְ בְּרִי, זְמַן סַגִּיא יְהֵא דְּלָא תִּתְקַבַּר גַּבָּאִי, אֲבָל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא דּוּכְתָּא דִּידִי וְדוּכְתָּא דִּידָךְ בָּרִירְנָא וְכוּ'.
So I selected my place and then returned. “Along with me came three hundred souls of the righteous and above them all, the soul of Adam. It was he who was sitting and speaking with me. He requested that I refrain from revealing to the world more about his sin than the Torah had already revealed. He had covered himself with that tree from Gan Eden.” “I explained that I had already revealed the matter to the companions, but he said that that was alright and acceptable. It was only to the rest of the world that I was not to reveal it. Why? Because the Holy One Blessed is He had pity on Adam’s honor and did not wish to reveal the nature of his iniquity but only the tree from which he ate…” Then Rabbi Shimon’s son Rabbi Elazar approached him and said, “Father, what is my station in that world?” “Fortunate is your lot, my son,” he replied. “A long time will pass before you are buried beside me but in that world your place is beside me. I have already chosen it for you…”
מִכָּאן תִּרְאֶה, שֶׁלֹּא טוֹב עוֹשִׂין הַדַּרְשָׁנִים, שֶׁדּוֹרְשִׁים בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְאוֹמְרִים בְּפֻמְבִּי בָּרַבִּים, בִּפְנֵי עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת, בַּדְּרוּשׁ שֶׁלָּהֶם: אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מִין הָיָה, וְעָבַר עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. הֲיִתָּכֵן לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, לוֹמַר עַל יְצִיר כַּפּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא הָיָה צַדִּיק גָּמוּר?! וּבָאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָיוּ תּוֹלִין כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁל דּוֹרֵי דּוֹרוֹת! אוֹתָן נְשָׁמוֹת הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁהָיוּ תְּלוּיִין בּוֹ בְּנִשְׁמָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, אוֹ בְּאַחַת מֵאֵבָרָיו — הֵן הָיוּ הַחוֹטְאִים, וְהָיוּ נֶחְפָּזִים וּמְמַהֲרִים לַחֲטֹא, אֲבָל אוֹתָהּ הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁהָיְתָה מְיֻחֶדֶת לָאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, לֹא חָטְאָה כְּלָל, כִּי הִיא הָיְתָה קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים.
From this passage you can see that public speakers do not do right when they speak openly in the synagogues and study halls before multitudes that include the ignorant and say things like, “Adam was a heretic” or that he was guilty of idolatry, immorality and bloodshed, and the like. How can one say such things about the handiwork of the Holy One Blessed is He, who was in fact a perfect saint? All the souls of all the generations hung suspended from him and the souls of the wicked were also suspended from his soul or from one of his limbs. These are the sinners who behave rashly and are quick to sin. But the unique soul of Adam himself never sinned at all because it was the holy of holies.
וּמְבֹאָר שָׁם בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ סַכָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה לְבַעַל הַדַּרְשָׁן כְּשֶׁיִּדְרשׁ אֵיזֶה גְּנַאי עַל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, פֶּן יְקֻיַּם בּוֹ: וְנָפַל מִמֶּנּוּ רַב. עַל כֵּן רָאוּי לִגְעֹר בְּהָעוֹשִׂין כֵּן, כִּי אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ בְּאֵלּוּ הַקּוֹרִים תִּגָּר עַל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל נִשְׁמַת הַצַּדִּיקִים, וְהַתּוֹרָה חָסָה עַל כְּבוֹדָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: וְאֶת הַבְּהֵמָה תַּהֲרֹגוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ הַבְּרִיּוֹת: פְּלוֹנִי נִכְשַׁל בִּבְהֵמָה זוֹ. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
As is made clear in the Zohar Chadash a lecturer places himself in great danger when he speaks disparagingly about Adam. In fact, he risks becoming a fulfillment of the verse, “And many of them will perish” (Shemos 19:21), therefore it is proper to rebuke those who do this. For the Holy One Blessed is He is not pleased with those who criticize His people Israel or the souls of the righteous. The Torah displays concern even for the dignity of the wicked. Thus the Sages comment on the verse, “And you shall kill the animal” (Vayikra 20:15), that this was in order that no one would be able to say, “So-and-so committed a sin with this animal” (Sanhedrin 54a; Tanchuma, Parashas Balak, 9).
עַל כֵּן יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם לְצַדֵּד עַל חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן לְטוֹבָה, וְכֵן עַל חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל וּמְכִירַת יוֹסֵף. וְהָאוֹחֵז בְּמִדַּת הַמַּזְכִּירִים לְשֶׁבַח, מַאֲרִיך יָמָיו וּשְׁנוֹתָיו. אָמֵן.
Therefore one should interpret Adam’s sin favorably, as well as the sin of the calf and the sale of Yosef. If one adopts the trait of always speaking in praise one will merit length of days and years, Amein.