Sit In The Sukkah, Not In Your Plate!

In the days before Reb Yissacher Dov of Radoshitz became known as a Rebbe, he was so poor that he often fasted because he simply had no bread to eat.

One year he had eaten nothing for a few days before Yom Kippur, and even after the fast was over he had nothing better than meager rations of bread and water. Nor could he afford to prepare anything at all for the oncoming festival of Sukkot.

After the evening service on the first night of the festival he remained in the synagogue, for he knew that at home there was nothing to eat. But he did not know that on the eve of the festival his wife had sold some modest item of jewelry that she had found among her possessions, and with the proceeds had bought braided challahs, candles and potatoes.

When he decided that most people had by now finished eating in their sukkot and had probably returned to their houses, he left the synagogue and went home.

Entering his sukka, he was overjoyed to see candles and challot on the table. He washed his hands, recited Kiddush, and sat down to eat. By this time he was well-nigh starving, so he ate the potatoes which his wife served him with a ravenous appetite.

While he was eating, a thought flashed through his mind.

"Berl," he said to himself, "you're not sitting in the sukka: you're sitting in your plate!"

And he stopped eating.

Reb Yissachar Dov of Radoshitz' Preperations For Blowing The Shofar

Reb Yissachar Dov of Radoshitz took longer than usual on Rosh Hashana to join the congregants for the blowing of the shofar. When he finally came out of his room, he told his Chasidim the following:
"Let me tell you a story about my Rebbe, the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin.
"One Rosh Hashana the Chozeh remained an extra long time in his study. He felt unable to leave and join his Chasidim for the blowing of the shofar; he was heartbroken at the thought that he had to his credit no single merit which would give him the strength to go ahead this special mitzva. Finally he remembered that he had, in fact, one merit in his favor: in the course of the previous year he had not spoken one angry word.
"On one occasion, it almost happened that he lost his temper. His attendant had forgotten to prepare water next to his bed so that he would be able to wash his hands in the prescribed manner in the morning. He had decided to reprimand the attendant for his negligence -- until the Chozeh recalled the warning of the Sages, "He who is angry, it is as if he worshipped idols."
The Chozeh thought to himself, "For the sake of the mitzva of washing my hands in the morning I am going to allow myself, G-d forbid, to become an idolator?" He had therefore said nothing.
"When the Chozeh reminded himself that he had this one merit to his credit, he went ahead with the blowing of the shofar."
Upon completing the telling of this story, Reb Yissachar Dov proceeded to lead his own congregation in reading Psalm 47 which speaks of the majesty of the Creator and which serves as the introduction to the blasts of the shofar.