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DAF DISCUSSIONS - AVODAH ZARAH 76

Michael Bock asked:

Is there anything wrong with going into McDonalds to enjoy a Coke? What is Maris ayin?

Michael Bock, Miami Beach, FL

The Kollel replies:

According to Rav Moshe Feinstein (OC II, 40), Maris Ayin is a situation where there is a concern that people will learn improper behavior from your actions. It is not likely that someone observing you sitting in a McDonalds would make the mistake that it is kosher (unless it is a McDonalds in Israel). However, there is a second idea, according to Rav Feinstein, called Chashad - suspicion. One is obligated to avoid situations that cause people to suspect him of wrongdoing. This is derived from the verse: v'Heyisem Nekiyim meha'Shem ume'Yisrael (Bamidbar 32, see Mishnah Shekalim 3:2). Granted, Jews are supposed to judge each other favorably, but we are also obligated to avoid situations where it would be difficult to be judged favorably. It could be that even if there is no Maris Ayin in this case there could be an issue of Chashad. Again, though, since McDonalds is so obviously non-kosher it could be that everybody will assume you are there for a business meeting or the like.

Rav Feinstein (ibid.) was asked a similar question: is someone allowed to eat in a vegetarian restaurant? He answered that there are many things in a vegetarian restaurant - that is not under Kosher supervision - that are not Kosher: unchecked fruits and vegetables, cheeses, unkosher oils, etc. Therefore he said even if you are eating something you know to be Kosher there is still a problem of both Maris Ayin and Chashad. He ruled that one should not eat in such a restaurant, and if he had to (he was starving and there was nowhere else to eat) he should explain to any Jews observing him go in, what he was doing.

Kol Tuv,

Yonasan Sigler