Marit ayin: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Concept in halakha (Jewish law)}} |
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'''Marit ayin''' (or '''maris ayin''', {{lang-he|מראית עין}}, "appearance to the eye"), is a concept in [[halakha]] (Jewish law). It is considered to be an important concept as it can lead to the prohibition of certain acts, dependent on circumstances, that might otherwise be permitted. |
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{{italic title}} |
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'''''Mar'it-ayin''''' ([[Mishnaic Hebrew|Mish.]]: מַרְאִית הָעַיִן; Modern {{langx|he|מַרְאִית-עַיִן}} 'appearance to the eye'; [[Ashkenazic Hebrew|Ashkenazic transliteration]]: '''''maris ayin'''''), is a concept in [[halakha]] (Jewish law) which states that certain actions which might {{em|seem}} to observers to be in violation of [[Jewish law]], but in reality are fully permissible, are themselves not allowed due to rabbinic enactments that were put in place to prevent onlookers from arriving at a false conclusion.<ref>Minchas Shlomo 2-3:53.</ref> For example, according to the [[Torah]] law, the blood of an animal is forbidden to eat, but the blood of a fish is permissible. However, according to the principle of ''marit ayin'', it is forbidden to eat the blood of fish as an onlooker may believe the blood being eaten is from an animal, and may thus believe that animal blood is allowed to be eaten.<ref>Talmud Keritut Pg. 21</ref> |
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According to [[Ovadia Yosef]], who was chief [[Sephardic]] rabbi of Israel, ''marit ayin'' applies only when the onlooker may mistakenly interpret the action as violating a [[List_of_Talmudic_principles#De'oraita_and_derabanan|law given in the Torah]].<ref>Yabia Omer VI, YD 8</ref> |
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Marat ayin can be defined as: |
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<blockquote>Avoiding doing something that may raise suspicion that one violated halakha, or that someone may misinterpret, thus causing him to violate halacha.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://e.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/shiur.asp?id=6425 |title=Marit Ayin |last=Kaganoff |first=Yirmiyohu |date=November 8, 2007 |work=Yeshiva.org.il |publisher=[[Beit El yeshiva]] |accessdate=November 12, 2012}}</ref></blockquote/> |
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== In private == |
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There is a disagreement in the [[Talmud]] as to whether the concept of ''marit ayin'' applies in private. [[Beit Shamai]] believes that ''marit ayin'' applies even in private, whereas Beit Hillel believes that ''marit ayin'' does not apply in private.<ref>Talmud Beitzah Pg. 9</ref> |
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== Changes over time == |
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According to the [[Shulchan Aruch]], if something which was prohibited in the times of the Talmud because of ''marit ayin'' is no longer a concern due to modern day circumstances, the prohibition is cancelled.<ref>Igros Moshe O.C. Pg. 243:2</ref> |
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== Examples == |
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Some examples of marit ayin include:<ref>{{Cite web|title=What Will the Neighbors Think? – Understanding the Halachos of Maris Ayin|url=https://rabbikaganoff.com/what-will-the-neighbors-think-understanding-the-halachos-of-maris-ayin/|last=admin|first=Author|date=2011-12-11|website=RabbiKaganoff.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-10}}</ref> |
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* Eating or drinking kosher food at a non-kosher restaurant |
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* Killing and eating an animal that is [[ben pekuah]] without [[shechita]] |
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* Hanging up wet clothes on Shabbat, since people may think they were washed that day |
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==See also== |
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* [[Chumra (Judaism)]] |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Halakha}} |
{{Halakha}} |
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[[Category:Jewish law principles]] |
[[Category:Jewish law principles]] |
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[[Category:Jewish philosophical concepts]] |
[[Category:Jewish philosophical concepts]] |
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{{Judaism-stub}} |
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[[he:מראית עין]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:45, 31 October 2024
Mar'it-ayin (Mish.: מַרְאִית הָעַיִן; Modern Hebrew: מַרְאִית-עַיִן 'appearance to the eye'; Ashkenazic transliteration: maris ayin), is a concept in halakha (Jewish law) which states that certain actions which might seem to observers to be in violation of Jewish law, but in reality are fully permissible, are themselves not allowed due to rabbinic enactments that were put in place to prevent onlookers from arriving at a false conclusion.[1] For example, according to the Torah law, the blood of an animal is forbidden to eat, but the blood of a fish is permissible. However, according to the principle of marit ayin, it is forbidden to eat the blood of fish as an onlooker may believe the blood being eaten is from an animal, and may thus believe that animal blood is allowed to be eaten.[2]
According to Ovadia Yosef, who was chief Sephardic rabbi of Israel, marit ayin applies only when the onlooker may mistakenly interpret the action as violating a law given in the Torah.[3]
In private
[edit]There is a disagreement in the Talmud as to whether the concept of marit ayin applies in private. Beit Shamai believes that marit ayin applies even in private, whereas Beit Hillel believes that marit ayin does not apply in private.[4]
Changes over time
[edit]According to the Shulchan Aruch, if something which was prohibited in the times of the Talmud because of marit ayin is no longer a concern due to modern day circumstances, the prohibition is cancelled.[5]
Examples
[edit]Some examples of marit ayin include:[6]
- Eating or drinking kosher food at a non-kosher restaurant
- Killing and eating an animal that is ben pekuah without shechita
- Hanging up wet clothes on Shabbat, since people may think they were washed that day
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Minchas Shlomo 2-3:53.
- ^ Talmud Keritut Pg. 21
- ^ Yabia Omer VI, YD 8
- ^ Talmud Beitzah Pg. 9
- ^ Igros Moshe O.C. Pg. 243:2
- ^ admin, Author (2011-12-11). "What Will the Neighbors Think? – Understanding the Halachos of Maris Ayin". RabbiKaganoff.com. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help)