Q. I bought a set of china dishes about 6 years ago when my husband and I got married.
It was service for 12 but at the time we decided to just tovel half the dishes and tovel the rest as needed.
This shabbos we happen to need the extra settings. I went to tovel the other dishes today, and noticed on the dinner plates that A. there was no sticker like the other plates had, B. there was a yellow residue on two of the plates.
When I first noticed there were no stickers, I though I may have a vague recollection of toveling these dishes or at least preparing them to be toveled all those years ago, but I cannot be certain. It is possible that we did tovel them at some point and even use them, but I really cannot remember.
I'm concerned that they may have been used and sold to us as new. I have no idea.
What is the status of the plates? Can I use them?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is that you do not have to be concerned that the dishes were used prior to your purchase. You should tovel the dishes without a brocho. (in general, Poiskim maintain that china or glazed earthenware dishes should be immersed without a brocho)
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
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