Reply To: Karpas – is any ha’adoma ok?

Milhouse – “Rebbetzin, there are NO opinions that potatoes are kitniyos. I have looked, and there is NO source, anywhere, reporting first-hand knowledge of any community where potatoes were forbidden, or any rov who forbade them. I know there is a peculiar belief circulating that the Chayei Odom forbade them, but it’s not true. He merely reports a rumor he heard that in some other country they forbid potatoes, but he never saw it and does not endorse it.”

The Pri Migadem s. 453 Mishbitzos Zahav ss.1 and a”a s. 464 ss.1 writes that potatoes are mutter IF it is not in a place that prohibit the. (This implies that such places exist! – or else he would write that “celery” is mutter except in places that prohinit!)

The Nishmas Adam s. 20 that the custom was not to eat potatoes except during a great hunger the Bais Din convened to be mattir it to avoid danger and extreme hunger.

It is brought in Alef that Rebbe Yehoshua from Belz was makpid not to eat potatoes.

One sefer says that we are all fortunate that there were no potatoes in times of Geonim for if they would have them then, they would surely prohibit them as kitniyos because of their ability to produce flour.