In this friendly little town known for its hachnosas orchim lived a stingy old miser. One day the miser’s wife complained to him that it just didn’t look right, what with the neighbors inviting guests, and they never having anyone over. The miser was in a generous mood and considered his wife’s request. He went right over to the local fish market and asked the proprietor for the cheapest slice of fish he had. The fish man brought out a fish for $3.99 a pound. “What!! Too expensive” said the miser, “bring me some thing more reasonable”. The proprietor kept bringing him fish that was progressively cheaper, but no matter how cheap it was, the miser was not satisfied. Exasperated, the proprietor turns to the miser and says, “you know what, I have just the fish you are looking for” He scavenges through the garbage until he comes up with an old rancid fish. “This one’s got your name written all over it” he said, “and you can have it for 25 cents.” “You got yourself a deal” said the miser, and walked out proudly with his merchandise. He had his wife cook it up on friday, and that shabbos, to the gabbai’s surprise , the miser magnanimously offered to take home a guest. When the fish was placed before the guest, his face turned colors just from the smell. “You eat first” he told the miser ” I can’t eat before the host” “NO no ” said the miser, “I insist”. The guest took the first bite and nearly gagged, but he did not want to offend his kind host, and so he managed to get the whole portion down. A few days later, the miser got the sad news that his shabbos guest was in the hospital. The miser went right over to visit. Several days later, came the tragic news that the guest died. The miser sadly attended his levaya. That afternoon, the miser came running home to his wife , all excited. “Can you imagine what a metziah -I did hachnosas orchim, bikur cholim and halvuyas hamais-all for one quarter!”
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