The Munkaczer Rav, in Divrei Torah (II:35), relates a tradition he received from his holy forebears that once the Apta Rav delayed significantly in the middle of davening. Afterward, he explained how he had previously taught an explanation of Odom HoRishon’s sin, which expunged his guilt and explained why his error was much less severe because his crime had been committed without any previous experience or knowledge of commandments or divine punishment. Since he was the first man, he had never seen or heard of the observance of any commandment and did not realize that a mitzva must be observed literally; he had his reasons for disobeying and rationalized that therefore the command did not apply to him. He did not understand that a commandment had to be obeyed literally by an action if it was a positive command, or by abstention from action, as in his own case, where he was commanded not to eat. Having never seen or experienced mitzvos, he did not realize that a true action or abstention was tied into the obeyance of a command.
After having offered this explanation, said the Apta Rav, Odom HoRishon himself appeared to him during davening to thank him for interceding on his behalf, causing such a lengthy delay.
