Mar'it-ayin (Mish.: מַרְאִית הָעַיִן; ModernHebrew:מַרְאִית-עַיִן 'appearance to the eye';Ashkenazic transliteration:maris ayin), is a concept inhalakha (Jewish law) which states that certain actions which mightseem to observers to be in violation ofJewish 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 theTorah law, the blood of an animal is forbidden to eat, but the blood of a fish is permissible. However, according to the principle ofmarit 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 toOvadia Yosef, who was chiefSephardic rabbi of Israel,marit ayin applies only when the onlooker may mistakenly interpret the action as violating alaw given in the Torah.[3]
There is a disagreement in theTalmud as to whether the concept ofmarit ayin applies in private.Beit Shamai believes thatmarit ayin applies even in private, whereas Beit Hillel believes thatmarit ayin does not apply in private.[4]
According to theShulchan Aruch, if something which was prohibited in the times of the Talmud because ofmarit ayin is no longer a concern due to modern day circumstances, the prohibition is cancelled.[5]
Some examples of marit ayin include:[6]
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