Reply To: what's better: to be humble, OR mar'eet ayin?

Mareet ayin — the APPEARANCE of wrongdoing, even when no wrongdoing was committed. Like walking into a McDonald’s to use the bathroom, and being seen by frum people you know, who are walking by. THEY don’t know why you are there. They only see you coming out of a McDonald’s. (And here’s a lesson on being dan l’kaf zechus).