parashat bereishit - What does Judaism teach about Eve's addition to divine commandment that she not touch the fruit?

In Genesis 2:17 we read:

But of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it, for on the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die."

Later, during Eve's temptation, we read:

But of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God said, "You shall not eat of it, and you shall not touch it, lest you die.'"

It appears that Eve has expanded the commandment from do not eat to include do not touch. Is this considered a fault of some kind? Eve had not yet been created when Adam received the commandment and the record does not explain what Eve was told of the commandment.

Does Judaism consider this a fault or sin of Eve for expanding on Divine instruction? or is it seen as simply the detail is missing and not a concern, or something else?

Answer

The biblical commentator Rashi references the talmud when he writes:

and you shall not touch it: She added to the command; therefore, she came to diminish it. That is what is stated (Prov. 30:6): “Do not add to His words.” - [from Sanh. 29a]

The Chizkuni expands on this:

The truth is that when one adds a restriction to G-d’s commandment, instead of improving it, one causes harm to it, makes it less effective instead of more effective. Seeing that the additional restriction had not been issued by G-d directly, it is less than useless.

The Shadal says that it might not actually be an addition to what was commanded.