The Potato in Halacha

Home , Cholent, French fries, Fried potatoes, Kugel, Potato chip, Potato kugel

In Yiddish a potato is called a kartufel. The reason why it is called a kartufel is because the potato which was meant to be a tufel food has been made into an ikur.1 The potato is a vegetable that was not around in the days of the Gemorah or Rishonim. Although, the potato first reached the shores of North America in the 18th century, the current value of the world potato market is 100 billion dollars.

Can we imagine a world without potato kugel, latkes or french fries? Horav Avigdor Miller zt”l said we have a great zechus that the potato is part of our diet. The Gemorah2 mentions many steps one has to follow in order to put bread on his table, while potatoes can be prepared straight from the soil. This is something to think about the next time we recite a beracha on a potato. There are many halachos that apply to this wonderful vegetable which is eaten daily by millions of people.

Making Designs out of a Potato Sometimes one wishes to take a potato, cut it into different shapes and put some coloring etc on it to decorate it. This is done as art project etc. to make the potato look good. However, one should not do this to a potato since it is a disgrace for the potato, and one is not allowed to treat foods in a disrespectful manner.3

Beracha Rishona There are many poskim who maintain that the correct beracha rishona on a potato is shehakol. Their reason is because the potato does not really grow from the ground, rather it grows from air around the ground.4 However, the concensus of most poskim is that the beracha on a potato is indeed hadama.5 Unless one has the custom to recite shehakol on a potato he should recite hadama like the majority custom of klal yisroel.

1 Refer to Hamodia Magazine 29 Av 5766:page 3. 2 Shabbos 74b. 3 Avnei Yushfei 1:34:3. Refer to E’ven Yisroel 9:63, Birchos Hashem 3:12:page 235:footnote 47 in depth. 4 Refer to Lekutei Maharich page 127 (old), Divrei Yatziv O.C. 1:82, Shulchan Hatohar 204:3, Zer Zahav 2, Pnei Ha’shulchan page 367, Shraga Hameir 4:11:3, 6:119, Mekor Ha’beracha page 69:52. 5 Darchei Chaim V’Sholom 292:page 91, Imrei Yosher 2:113:3, Orchos Chaim (Spinka) 204:3, Igros Moshe O.C. 1:60, Oz Nedberu 11:48, Betzel Hachuchma 6:83, Minhag Yisroel Torah 204:pages 336-337, Kranei D’igrisa 2:88:pages 97-98, Sharei Ha’beracha 23:footnote 771, Piskei Teshuvos 203:2, Vezos Ha’beracha page 371, Rivevos Ephraim 3:124, 4:177, Yalkut Yosef 203:10:footnote 10.

1 Raw Potatoes A food which is not edible does not require a beracha rishona should one wish to eat it.6 Accordingly, one would not recite a beracha rishona before eating a raw potato since it is not edible.7 For this reason some poskim say that a raw potato is muktzah on Shabbos and may not be moved.8 However, since on Yom Tov cooking is permitted, one may move (and use) a raw potato.9

Borekas The custom is to recite mezonos on borekas since they have a thick crust made from flour.10

Mashed/Instant Potatoes A vegetable which is mashed to the point that one cannot recognize the type of vegetable it was originally requires a shehakol.11 If one recited a hadama on a vegetable that is mashed and not recognizable the beracha is valid b’dieved.12 Accordingly, if potatoes were mashed to the point that they are not recognizable (i.e. in an electric blender) the beracha is shehakol.13 However, in many cases one can still tell that the mashed food is potato and therefore, the minhag haolom14 is that the beracha would still be a hadama.15 Potatoes that were mashed by hand definitely require a hadama since one can easily see that the food is potato.16

6 Shulchan Aruch 196:1, 204:2. 7 Refer to V’sein Beracha page 420:footnote 69, Rivevos Ephraim 7:335, 349: pages 444-445, 8:440, Piskei Teshuvos 205:footnote 12. Refer to Sharei Ha’beracha 17:24:footnote 44. Some say to recite a shehakol on a raw potato see Birchos Haneinin 26:3, Rivevos Ephraim 7:349. 8 V’sein Beracha page 420:footnote 69, Sefer Tiltulei Shabbos page 103:footnote 23 quoting the opinion of Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, Ketzos Ha’Shabbos 4:3, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 20:28, Shalmei Yehuda 7:14:50-51. 9 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 21:footnote 17. Potato starch is muktzah because there is no use for it on Shabbos (Shalmei Yehuda 8:7). 10 Sharei Ha’beracha page 523, Binyan Sholom page 222, Pnei Ha’shulchan page 64. One does not recite a beracha on borekas eaten during a meal if it is eaten for satiation (V’haish Mordechai pages 270-271). In regard to bishul akum on borekas made in America see Yabea Omer Y.D. 10:7. 11 Refer to Shulchan Aruch 202:7, Rama, Levush 7, Magen Avraham 16, Mishanh Berurah 42,43, Biur Halacha 202 “tmarim,” Mishnah Berurah 208:38, see Vezos Ha’beracha birur halacha 16. 12 Rama 202:7, Shulchan Aruch Harav 202:17, V’sein Beracha page 404. 13 Rivevos Ephraim 3:124, Vezos Ha’beracha 12:1, Ohr L’tzyion 2:14:2, Sharei Ha’beracha 23:footnote 593, also see page 657:footnote 568, Laws Of Brachos page 377, Refer to Pischei Halacha 9:55. 14 V’sein Beracha page 406:footnote 38 quoting the opinions of Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l, Horav Elyahsiv and Horav Sheinberg Shlita. Refer to Yabea Omer O.C. 7:29. 15 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Mekor Ha’beracha page 28, Sharei Ha’beracha 17:35:footnote 75, Vezos Ha’beracha page 238, V’sein Beracha page 406:footnote 38, Avnei Yushfei 1:44:1, Be’er Moshe 2:12:5.

2 In regard to instant potatoes, since after one adds a little water to the powder one can tell that the food is potato, the beracha remains hadama (see footnote).17

Potato Kugel/Latkes If the potato ingredients are processed in a way that one no longer recognizes the mixture as potato, the beracha on the potato kuglel or latkes would be shehakol.18 However, in many cases one can still recognize that the mixture is potato and the beracha would still be hadama.19 Some say that even if the potatoes where ground to the point that they are not recognizable the beracha is still hadama because the derech of potatoes is for them to be mashed in this manner.20 Nevertheless, the custom of many people is to recite a shehakol on potato kugel in any case.21

Potato Starch If the flour is edible and one has enjoyment from eating it, then one would recite the beracha of shehakol on it.22 Some say one can eat food made from potato starch and be yotzei the inyun of pas shacharis with it.23 The beracha recited on cake made from potato starch is shehakol.24

Potato Chips Potato chips are made by thinly slicing potatoes and deep frying them. Therefore, the beracha on potato chips is hadama.25 The same halacha applies to potato sticks.26

16 Yaavetz birchos haneinin kuf:18:page 512, Vezos Ha’beracha page 102, see Ohr L’tzyion 2:14:2. 17 Vezos Ha’beracha page 101, V’sein Beracha page 407:footnote 39 quoting the opinions of Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l and Horav Elyashiv Shlita, Sharei Ha’beracha page 657. Some say one recites shehakol on them (Piskei Teshuvos 202:19). 18 Refer to footnote 11, also see Sharei Ha’beracha page 583:footnote 298, Avnei Yushfei 1:44:1, Laws Of Brachos page 305 and 377. Some say this is the minhag haolom (Teshuvos V’hanhugos 3:74). 19 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Vezos Ha’beracha page 239, Halichos Shlomo Moadim 17:12:footnote 17. 20 Be’er Moshe ibid. Refer to V’sein Beracha page 408:footnote 40:1. Refer to Pischei Halacha page 383 who argues. 21 Sharei Ha’beracha 17:footnote 75. Refer to Pnei Ha’shulchan pages 97-99 for an explanation on this practice. 22 Sharei Ha’beracha page 710:footnote 772. 23 Refer to V’haish Mordechai pages 276-278. 24 V’sein Beracha page 474. If one recites hadoma on a piece of cake made from potato starch on Pesach he was yotzei b’dieved (V’sein Beracha page 411:footnote 46). 25 Igros Moshe Y.D. 4:48:5, Be’er Moshe 2:12:3, Vezos Ha’beracha page 103 quoting the opinion of Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l, Sharei Ha’beracha 1:34. If they are made from potato flour some say it is shehakol (Sharei Ha’beracha page 668:footnote 607). 26 The Laws of Brachos page 377.

3 Pringles® Pringles® are not made the same way a regular potato chip is made. Pringles® potato chips were introduced in 1969 by Procter and Gamble. Pringles® are made from potatoes that have been cooked, mashed, dehydrated, and then reconstituted into dough. They are then cut into a uniform shape and then quick fried. The poskim discuss which beracha to make on them. Some say Pringles® are considered to have been made form potato flour and therefore the beracha would be a shehakol.27 Others say since it is noticeable that one is eating potato when eating Pringles® the beracha is still hadama, 28 and this is the minhag ha’olom.29

Potato Knish A knish which has a layer of dough which completely surrounds the potato (i.e. Mom’s knish) requires a mezonos, and no hadama is necessary on the potato filling. However, a knish which is not surrounded by a crust on all sides would require a mezonos on the crust and a hadama on the potatoes.30

French Fries When eating french fries with ketchup, the ketchup is normally considered a tufel to the french fries. Therefore, only hadama is recited on the french fries and no shehakol is recited on the ketchup.31

Potato Soup The beracha on potato soup is hadama, which also exempts the liquid broth.32

Meat and Potato Stew The meat and potatoes in a stew are usually not mixed to the point that they are not recognizable and could be considered a single mixture in regard to the beracha to recite on it. Rather, the meat and potatoes are usually recognizable and not considered a

27 Vezos Ha’beracha page 376:79. Opinion of Horav Meir Bransdofer Shlita. 28 V’sein Beracha page 407:footnote 39:2 quoting the opinion of Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l. Refer to Ohr L’tzyion 2:12:5. 29 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita quoting the opinion of Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. Horav Moshe said the reason is because it is not possible to say that something which is turned into a powder lost its tzura. 30 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see The Laws of Brachos page 376, Pischei Halacha michtavim 21, Vezos Ha’beracha birur halacha pages 308-309. 31 Poskim 32 V’sein Beracha page 434, Vezos Ha’beracha page 371.

4 mixture, and therefore, both the meat and the potatoes require their own berochos (see footnote).33

Hatmana One is permitted to wrap a piece of potato kugel in aluminum foil and put it in the cholent on Erev Shabbos. There is no problem of hatmana because since one’s intention is for the kugel to absorb the taste of the cholent, it is considered a way of cooking and not hatmana.34 However, some say one should poke holes in the silver foil before placing it in the cholent.35

Mashed Potatoes (Tochain) A fruit or vegetable that becomes very soft when it is cooked may be mashed on Shabbos. The reason is because after cooking, the pieces of vegetable are considered to have already been separated. Based on this, one is permitted to mash a cooked potato on Shabbos. Nevertheless, one may only use a fork and not a grater because of uvda d’chol.36 Others are stringent with this.37

Placing Sauce on a Potato (Losh) One is permitted to place cooked sauce on a cooked potato on Shabbos and there is no concern of losh. The reason is that one’s intention is to make the food more enjoyable and not to mix the sauce with the potato.38

Daver Gush A hot potato is considered like a kli rishon even when it is off the fire because it is a dense solid (daver gush). Therefore, one may not place anything on a hot potato that will then cook as if placed on a kli rishon. For example, one may not place spices onto a hot

33 Refer to Aruch Ha’shulchan 212:2, Sharei Ha’beracha 15:14:footnote 29 in depth. Refer to Shar Ha’tzyion 212:20. If one eats the potato and meat on one spoon then only one beracha is recited (Aruch Ha’shulchan 212:2). 34 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 2:42:63, 3:footnote 242, V’yeishiv Moshe 1:20, Shevet Ha’Levi 3:42, Oz Nedberu 6:78, Minchas Yitzchok 8:17, Am Hatorah 13: pages 20-21, Otzros Ha’Shabbos page 109, Orchos Shabbos 2:93:footnote 162, Ohr L’tzyion 2:17:13, Kovetz Pri Temarim 7:pages 48-49, Lehoros Nosson 7:12, Opinion of Horav Shmuel Felder Shlita expressed in The Shabbos Kitchen page 78:footnote 14. Refer to Taz 258:1, Mishnah Berurah 258:2, Shar Ha’tzyion 6, Aruch Ha’shulchan 258:3. 35 Opinion of the Shevet Ha’Levi expressed in Otzros Ha’Shabbos page 109:footnote 184. 36 Tehilla L’Dovid 252:hashmutos 46, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 6:10:footnote 21 quoting the opinion of Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l. Refer to Chazzon Ish O.C. 58:9. 37 Refer to Igros Moshe O.C. 4:74:5. 38 Based on the Biur Halacha 321:14 “shema,” see Orchos Shabbos 6:footnote 28.

5 potato.39 Cooked salt may be placed onto a hot potato which has been moved to a kli sheini.40 Many people are not careful with this and one should begin to treat a potato as a kli rishon on Shabbos. One may place ketchup on a hot potato on Shabbos.41

Potatoes on Pesach There are some poskim who include potatoes in the minhag to refrain from eating kitniyos on Pesach, since they too are ground into flour which can be confused with grain flour.42 However, this opinion is not accepted today.43 Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l44 says the reason is because we only define something as kitniyos if there is a custom to regard it as kitniyos. Another reason is that the great need for potatoes on Pesach kept them away from being prohibited. Furthermore, the minhag to refrain from eating kitniyos dates back to the times of the Maharil when potatoes were not yet available.45

Red Potatoes Some red potatoes contain artificial coloring for which the Pesach status is unknown. Therefore, one should only purchase red potatoes that do not state on the bag or box that coloring is added.46

Karpas One of the reasons to eat karpas is because it is a remez for the 600,000 people who worked in Mitzrayim (samach perach, which is karpas in Hebrew starting with the last letter).47 The poskim say that one should take a vegetable that is a hadama for karpas and have in mind that this beracha should exempt the moror which will be eaten later.48

39 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 1:58. 40 Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 1:58, Orchos Shabbos 1:60:footnote 145. 41 Igros Moshe O.C. 4:74:page 134:5. 42 Refer to Chai Adom Pesach question 20 in Nishmas Adom, see Aruch Ha’shulchan 453:3, Piskei Teshuvos 453:footnote 33. Refer to ibid:pages 581-585. 43 Pri Megadim M.Z. 453, Aruch Ha’shulchan 452:18, 453:5 Divrei Malkiel 2:112, Igros Moshe O.C. 3:63, Minhag Yisroel Torah pages 310-371, Natei Gavriel 2:39:11:footnote 16. 44 Igros Moshe ibid. 45 ibid. Refer to Sheilas Yaavetz 2:147:4:page 47b (old). 46 The Laws of Pesach A Digest 5766 page 380. 47 Maharil seder haggadah page 96:14 new print. Refer to Bais Yosef 473, Mishnah Berurah 473:19, Minhag Yisroel Torah pages 285-286. For additional reasons for the inyun of karpas at the seder refer to Haseder Ha’uruch 121:2-8. 48 Magen Avraham 473:3, Shulchan Aruch Harav 17, Mishnah Berurah 20.

6 Many people have the custom to use a potato for karpas.49 Others say since there are poskim who maintain that the beracha on a potato is shehakol, one should not take a potato for karpas and instead should use a different vegetable whose beracha is definitely hadama.50 One is not required to follow his father’s custom regarding which vegetable to use for karpas.51

Potato Latkes (Chanukah) The minhag of virtually all of the klal yisroel is to eat latkes on Chanukah. The seforim say the reason for this is because we want to have a remembrance of the miracle which happened with oil. Therefore, we try to eat food cooked in a lot of oil, namely potatoes.52

Potatoes as Ner Chanukah The Avnei Nezer53 holds that one is not allowed to make a hole in a potato and use it to hold oil for the Chanukah neiros. This is because since the potato does not last for a long time it is not considered a daver chasuv, and therefore, can not be used to hold the oil.

Bishul Akum A food which is eaten raw or is not fit for a kings’ table never has a problem of bishul akum.54 There is a discussion in the poskim whether a potato is fit to be served on a kings’ table. Some poskim say a potato is fit to be served on a kings’ table55 while others hold it is not.56 If a food is served at a smorgasbord it is considered fit to be served on a king’s table.57 The minhag is that a potato is not fit to be served on a kings’ table.58 However, if a potato is made in a way that it is fit for a kings’ table, then that particular

49 Aruch Ha’shulchan 473:10, Natei Gavriel 2:87:7:footnote 15 (new print), Piskei Teshuvos 473:footnote 70, Arzei Halevonon 2:page 24:1, Haggadah Shel Pesach (Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l) page 112. 50 Piskei Teshuvos 473:13, Minhag Yisroel Torah pages 286-288. Refer to Shalmei Moed page 378 where he brings that Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach ate celery for karpas. Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita uses celery for karpas as well. See Shraga Hameir 4:111:3 where he discusses if one has the custom to recite a shehakol on potatoes all year round may he recite hadama on them on the night of the seder for karpas. 51 Betzel Hachuchma 6:83. 52 Refer to Minhag Yisroel Torah 670:3, Natei Gavriel 51:12:footnote 13, Halichos Shlomo Moadim 17:12:footnote 17. 53 2:500:6, see Sharei Teshuva 673:8, Shevet Ha’Levi 8:157, Oz Nedberu 13:49 who argue. 54 Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 113:1. 55 Chuchmas Adom 66:4, see Shevet Ha’Levi 6:108. 56 Aruch Ha’shulchan Y.D. 113:18, Yaskil Avdi Y.D. 7:6, Pischei Halacha page 118:8. Refer to Chelkes Binyomin 113:9. 57 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. 58 Aruch Ha’shulchan Y.D. 113:18 in depth.

7 potato could potentially be a problem of bishul akum. Some poskim hold even though the potato is not fit for a kings’ table in one way of preparing it, since it could be fit for a kings’ table if prepared differently, the whole min of potatoes is considered fit to be served on a kings’ table, and all potatoes would need bishul yisroel.59 However, most poskim disagree with this statement and maintain that one judges each way of preparing the potato separately.60 Accordingly, if a specific potato is prepared in a way that it is fit for a kings’ table then only that type of potato is a problem of bishul akum. This is the opinion followed by most kashrus agencies.61 (A sweet potato is generally fit to be served on a king’s table when cooked etc. Therefore, it would require bishul yisroel).62

The previous machlokes has ramifications in regard to potato chips. Some say since a fried potato is fit to be served at a kings’ table one may not eat potato chips unless they have bishul yisroel even though potato chips themselves are not served on kings table.63 Others say since fried potatoes are not fit to be served at a kings’ table, potato chips would not require bishul yisroel. This is the opinion of the majority of the poskim.64

Potatoes at a Wedding Fried potatoes that appear at weddings as side dishes are in fact fully edible boiled potatoes that are merely placed in oil to deep fry for a small amount of time in order to brown them. Therefore, the potatoes are not actually considered fried, but rather cooked and then browned in some oil.65

59 Refer to Bishul Yisroel pages 139-144. 60 Refer to Bishul Yisroel page 143. 61 Journal ibid page 64:footnote 33. 62 Pischei Halacha page 118:footnote 7, OU Document A-89. 63 Igros Moshe Y.D. 4:48:5, Emes L’Yaakov Y.D. 113:footnote 42, Shevet Ha’Levi 10:124, Journal Of Halacha and Contemporary Society Fall 2001:page 67. Refer to Bishul Yisroel 37:12-22. 64 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, Shulchan Ha’Levi pages 67-72, see Chelkes Binyomin biurim page 67a-67b, OU Document A-68, Bishul Yisroel teshuva from Horav Falk Shlita page 14. This is the consensus of some of the major kashrus agencies (Journal ibid page 64:footnote 33). If a fried potato would indeed begin to be fit to be served on a kings’ table the OU might insist on Bishul Yisroel for its potato chip products (Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita). Refer to Bishul Yisroel 37:1. 65 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Refer to Journal Of Halacha and Contemporary Society Fall 2001:pages 56- 57:footnote 20, Be’er Moshe 4:49, Teshuvos V’hanhugos 1:438. That is why these “deep fried” potatoes are not fit to be served on a kings’ table because they are never deep fried (Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita).

8 French Fries- Bishul Akum The fact that French fries appear at the children’s table at weddings does not make fried potatoes fit to be served on a kings’ table.66 Accordingly, frozen french fries do not require bishul yisroel.67

Pringles® –Bishul Akum The consensus of the poskim at the OU is that Pringles® are not considered a food that is fit to be served on a kings table, and do not require bishul yisroel in order to permit a hechsher to be placed on them.68

Mashed/Instant Potatoes- Bishul Akum One is not required to have bishul yisroel in order to permit a hechsher to be given on either mashed or instant potatoes. The reason for this is because there is an opinion in the poskim who maintains that if a goy makes a food which is not fit to eat until a yisroel cooks it, such a food does not need bishul yisroel to permit one to give a hechsher on it.69 The same halacha would apply to potato flakes.70

Tevilas Keilim A peeler that is exclusively used to peel potatoes should be toveled without a beracha.71

Checking For Bugs There is no need to check the outside of a potato for bugs.72 Some poskim say that one should check the inside of the potato for bugs.73

66 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Journal ibid:footnote 20, Refer to Pischei Halacha page 119:15. 67 OU Document A-25. 68 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, Shulchan Ha’Levi pages 71-72. Refer to OU Document A-23, see ibid:about frozen potato latkes, Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society Fall 2001:page 69:footnote 40. Refer to Bishul Yisroel page 578. 69 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, Shulchan Ha’Levi page 72. Refer to Darchei Teshuva 113:65, OU Document A-68, Be’er Moshe 4:48, Hechsheiros 43:2:footnote 80, see Bishul Yisroel page 37 (Teshuva from Horav Falk Shlita) and pages 297-299. Refer to Chelkes Yaakov 2:71 about steamed potatoes. 70 OU Document A-21. 71 Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, OU Document A-66, see Shulchan Ha’Levi 2:page 25. 72 Sefer Hechsheiros page 354, Bedikas Hamozon K’hilchoso 1:page 378. 73 Bedikas Hamozon K’hilchoso 1:page 378.