The  Basur  IS  Asur

Maaris Ayin

By:  Esther Bochner & Zahava Sinensky

            It says in Bamidbar 32:22 , “One should be clean in front of Hashem and in front of  Bnei Yisroel”  This is implying that one must act in a way so as not to arouse suspicion from other human beings.  Hashem desires that we not only maintain our inner purity but we also must portray ourselves as “clean” individuals to the world.  Therefore, the Rabbanim state the importance of the issue of maaris ayin in our daily lives. 

            Maaris ayin is defined as appearing as if you are doing a sin even if you know personally know that you are not doing anything wrong.  This requires every human being to be careful with their actions not only to prevent sin but also to prevent others from thinking that one is committing sin.  This means that every action that one carries out must follow all halachic standards.  This is because people will see us doing certain things and cause them to do one of two things.  They may either think that what they believe we are doing is correct and copy us even though we weren’t actually doing it.  Or they may think that we are committing a sin and judge wrongfully for it.  Therefore to prevent any of these things from occurring, we must be careful that every action that we do in our lives are completely understood by others and do not cause any maaris ayin issues. 

            When discussing certain halachot the Rabbanim made sure to add several cases when one should avoid a certain action so as not to appear as if they are doing the transgression.  They made sure to specify that these actions are asur under maaris ayin even in the privacy of your own home where no one is present. 

            Our first example lies in the Gemarah).  It reads that if a road leads solely to an idol worshipping city you must be careful not use that road.  But if the road also leads to several other cities then you are permitted to use the road.  This halacha was created to prevent people from assuming that one is traveling on that road to be an idol worshipper. 

            Similarly, the same Gemarah states that if one has a splinter on their foot and they are in front of an idol they can not bend down and take it out.  One has to bend down in a way that it is evident that they are not bowing to the idol, but rather that they are removing the splinter. 

            One is also forbidden to collect scattered coins that are in front of an idol because it appears that you are bowing.  If there is a spring of water in front of an idol you are not allowed to bend down and drink the water unless it does not appear that you are bowing to the idol.

            Masechet Bracot (43:) lists several things that a scholar should not do.  First, a scholar should not “go scented.”  But this only applies in a place where people are suspected of promiscuous behavior.  Second, “he should not go out at night alone” so as not to arouse suspicion.  However, if people know that he has an appointment he would be permitted to go because there would not be a maaris ayin issue.  Next, “he should not converse with women on the streets” even his wife, sister, and daughters.  This is categorized as maaris ayin because not everyone knows that they are related. 

            In the Igrot Moshe it discusses going into a non-kosher restaurant that only sells milichig.  The sefer clarifies that you can only go in a time of necessity and you can only buy what you know to be kosher.  One must tell all the people around that they are only buying kosher products so as not to arouse suspicion.

           The Igrot Moshe writes about having feasts on non-Jewish holidays such as Thanksgiving.  He says that a regular meal would be permitted.  But a large celebration such as a wedding should be avoided. 

            The Rambam’s Mishnah Torah states that on Shabbat if you get wet you can keep on walking in your wet clothes because no one will assume that you will ring them out.  However, you may not hang them in front of your home because people may think that you washed your clothes on Shabbat.  The Orach Hashulchan agrees.   

            The Mishnah Torah says that on Shabbat you may not move a ladder from one place to another because of maaris ayin.  People may think that you are moving it to fix your roof.  However, if you are in a private place, you can move it for simchat Shabbot ViYom Tov.  This is the only place where maaris ayin is permitted in private. 

            In a non-kosher restaurant even if you are very careful not to eat anything that isn’t kosher, someone might think that the food that is being served in the restaurant is kosher because they see an obviously observant Jew sitting in the restaurant.  This may lead that person to sin.  One must be careful about maaris ayin even if the person is not an observant Jew and doesn’t ordinarily keep kosher.  (http://member.tripod.com/~RavYaakov/kosher2.html)

            Rabbi Moshe Heinman, the Rabbinical Administrator of the Star-k states that going into a traif restaurant, such as McDonald’s, would constitute maaris ayin.  But going into a place that sells kosher and non-kosher products, such as a highway rest stop, would not constitute maaris ayin because it is not known as an establishment that sells traif.  (www.star-k.org)

In Yoma (38) it states that the sons of Beit Garmoo could never be found with bread in their hands.  This was done to make sure that no one would suspect them of eating the showbread (lechem panim) that was set aside for the Beit Hamikdash.  Similarly, Beit Avtinas, the kitoret producers, would not let their daughters walk perfumed in the streets.  This was to make sure that no one would think that they perfumed themselves with the kitoret.  These people were praised because they were careful with maaris ayin issues.  We see that they followed the principle “you should appear clean in the eyes of Hashem and in the eyes of Bnei Yisroel” very strictly.   

            Since it is an Aisur Dioryta to eat, cook, or have pleasure from baasar vichalav and the Rabbanim added an aisur of eating wild animals and birds with milk, one must be careful not to work in a store that sells milk and chicken together.  This may cause people to think that since you work there, you are also eating there and that the food is permissible to eat.  However if someone indicates that his or her ties to the restaurant are strictly business and not for the actual food, then you are allowed to work there.  However, one may not work in a restaurant that sells actual baasar vichalav that has an Aisur Dioryta of pleasure.