[Avodah] Maarit Ayin - Sources?

[Micha Berger]

To repeat part of my post of Feb 2006
<http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol16/v16n118.shtml#02>:

The usual use of mar'is ayin is to refer to the prohibition against
giving people reason to think one is sinning. "... Vehiyisem neqiyyim
meiHashem umiYyisra'el" (Bamidbar 32:22).

The problem with [ben paquah] is cheshah -- that people will accidentally
or through habit violate the din. The question with almond milk is
vehiyisem neqiyim[, and thus mar'is ayin]. Different thing. Don't let
the words "mar'is ayin" occlude the core deOraisa.

One difference: With cheshash, we assume people will believe the
person is acting kehalakhah, misunderstanding what the person is doing,
and therefore learn to do something keneged halakhah. With vehiyisem
neqiyim, the assumption is that we know the halakhah and what he's doing,
and therefore infer the person isn't "naqi".

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Rescue me from the desire to win every
micha at aishdas.org        argument and to always be right.
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