[Avodah] Maarit Ayin - Sources?

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Liron Kopinsky forwarded a question from someone else:

> if you're doing something halachically allowed but socially
> unaccepted (or just something most people are ignorant about)
> would Maarit Eyin apply? Is it a question of halacha or the
> way you will then be viewed by the klal, regardless of it's
> actual halachic status...

My understanding is that Maarit Ayin relates to confusion over whether something is assur or mutar, such as such as when you do something which is halachically allowed, but people will think that you're doing something wrong. For example, entering a non-kosher restaurant to use their bathroom -- some people may mistakenly think that you're eating the non-kosher food, and some people may mistakenly think that the restaurant is kosher. (Actually, I think one of those is Maarit Ayin, and the other not, and I don't remember which.)

But in any case, that's NOT the question being asked. The question being asked is about an action which is halachically allowed but socially unacceptable. I would think such activities to be not Maarit Ayin, but Chilul Hashem, because it causes the onlooker to have lessened respect for HaShem and for Torah people.

I'm not sure what the questioner means by "or just something most people are ignorant about". Perhaps he means "an action which is socially unacceptable, but people are ignorant about why it ought to be socially okay". I so, I would imagine this to still be a Chilul Hashem, because the net result will still be that - rightly or wrongly - it causes the onlooker to have lessened respect for HaShem and for Torah people.

Akiva Miller

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