There was once a very poor man called Yosef. The people of the town used to call him "Yosef Mokir Shabbat," which means "Yosef who treasures Shabbat," because whatever he had and whatever he earned, however little, he would spend on something special for Shabbat. The merchants in the marketplace knew that even as late as Friday afternoon, they could expect Yosef to wander into the market, looking for that special delicacy which he couldn't afford, but which he'd buy anyway.

Now in a nearby town lived a rich merchant. He owned a magnificent house with servants and carriages, beautiful clothes and jewels. Every meal the merchant had was a banquet to which only the wealthiest and most important people were invited.

To one of these banquets there came an old seer who could tell the future. And there, in front of all his guests, the seer told the merchant that one day all the merchant's wealth would be eaten by Yosef Mokir Shabbat! Everybody laughed because the idea seemed so ridiculous. But that night the merchant couldn't sleep. He was very fond of his wealth, and he thought of a plan to protect it.

Early next mornning, the merchant drove in his carriage to visit a friend in a distant town. The friend was happy to see him, and even happier at the offer the merchant made. "I will exchange all my property for your pearl," the merchant said. Now this was no ordinary pearl; it was known to be priceless. The friend agreed, and the merchant drove away, relieved, knowing that he only had to hold on to the pearl, and his wealth would be saved.

It was a fine day, and the merchant took out the pearl to admire its beauty in the sunshine. Just then, as the carriage rattled over a wooden bridge, a strange wind blew up as if from nowhere and took the merchant by surprise. He reached up with his hand to hold his hat on, forgetting that his hand held the pearl. It dropped out of the carriage, through a crack in the bridge, and into a river below.

The next Friday, the market was thronged with people, and the stall owners were doing a great trade. Later in the afternoon, Yosef Mokir Shabbat appeared in the market. He just wanted one final look around, He wasn't sure why, perhaps to find something that would make the coming Shabbat perfect.

The fishmonger's wife saw him coming, and whispered to her husband, "here come your last chance! If anyone foolish enough to buy this huge fish you've been trying to sell all day, that one will . You just have to...". "I know what to do" whispered the fishmonger.

"Yosef", he said, "I'd like to show you something- a fish fit only for Shabbat." Yosef looked at the big, beautiful fish. He knew he couldn't afford it, and his wife would shout at him if he bought it. He knew it is big enough to feed as many extra guests as he'd like to invite. He knew he'd have to sell his hat to buy such a fish. His heart was torn. Yosef Mokir Shabbat bought the fish.

That night, when all the shouting was over, and Yosef, his family and their guests were sitting at the dinner table eating the fish. Yosef cut himself a bite, and onto his plate dropped...a pearl!