NUM388 The mishnah (Shekalim 3b) states: "A person must pass the judgment of people in the same manner as he must pass Hashem's judgment, as the verse says, 'And the land of Canaan will be subdued before Hashem; then afterwards you (the tribes of Reuven and Gad) will return and be guiltless before Hashem and before Israel, and this land will be your possession before Hashem' [this verse]. Another verse says, 'Put away from you a dissembling mouth, and perverse lips put far from you'" (Mishlei 4:24). This teaches that a person must avoid acting in a manner that will cause others to suspect him of inappropriate conduct, whether it be in his financial dealings or in his performance of mitzvos. As the Talmud (Chullin 44b) says, "Distance yourself from unpleasantness and the like." One must avoid acting in a haughty manner under all circumstances. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim, ch. 60) discusses the obligation of a chasan to recite Shema on the night of his wedding so that he should not seem pretentious by implying that he always concentrates while reciting Shema. Thus we see that the rule to avoid haughty behavior is even applicable when performing a mitzvah (Mishnah Berurah 70:14). Certain Rabbinical decrees were instituted with this idea in mind. For example, the Sages prohibit hanging clothes to dry during Shabbos--they were concerned that people would come to suspect a person of having laundered the clothes on Shabbos. This is also the reason it was prohibited for the person who collected the coins from the lishkah (office) of the Beis HaMikdash to wear long garments or long hair -- people would suspect him of hiding coins in his garments or hair. He was also required to speak continuously while he gathered the coins -- in this manner, people would not suspect him of hiding coins in his mouth (Shekalim 3:2). These laws give us a better understanding of how careful one must be in order that people should not suspect him of improper conduct. There are three essential reasons one must avoid suspicion: 1) it is prohibited to suspect an innocent person of having committed a sin. Therefore, a person who causes others to question his integrity and suspect him is guilty of placing a stumbling block in their way. 2) A person who does not care how others perceive him is considered arrogant and shameless. The Sages said, "A person who feels shame will not soon come to sin" (Nedarim 2a). The converse is also true--if he does not care how others perceive him, he will eventually succumb to sin. 3) People are easily influenced by one another. If people suspect that a person is guilty of transgressing a precept, this will weaken their own resolve to refrain from sin (Rashi, Devarim 25:18). It is told that the Chafetz Chaim himself was negatively affected by his surroundings: The first time he saw a Jew desecrate Shabbos in public, he suffered acute anguish and pain. The following Shabbos, his pain was less severe than it had been the previous week. A talmid chacham must take special care to distance himself from situations that might influence people to become lax in observance of the mitzvos. Sifsei Kohen writes that this rule applies to any person who is held in high esteem by his community (Yoreh De'ah 152:1). Yad Malachi writes that a talmid chacham must refrain from performing any act that people might consider to be a transgression, even if the act is permissible by law. As the Talmud Yerushalmi says, "[People] learn from wrongdoings, and they do not learn from virtuous deeds" (Moed Katan 2:5).