Sometimes The Wrong Mussar Shmuess May Be Poison

Yet, Chazal criticize Elisha for pushing away his Talmid, Geichazi with two hands and caused him to become a Metzora. Geichazi went off the Derech, and he lost his Olam HaBah. When Elisha asked Geichazi to do Teshuva, Geichazi told him “Because of you, I went off the Derech, when you said: הַחוטֵא וּמַחֲטִיא אֶת הָרַבִים, אֵין מַסְפִּיקִין בְיָדו לַעֲשות תְשוּבָה One who causes the Rabim to sin, is not granted the opportunity to do Teshuva.” (Gemara). Sometimes the wrong Mussar Shmuess (as true as it can be) may be poison.

An Adam Gadol once told me that what I heard from a different Adam Gadol was poison for me, but good for others. The Mesilas Yesharim speaks about a Gadol who can help others because he himself had...