Moshe is strolling down Oxford Street one afternoon when he sees a beggar sitting on the pavement outside John Lewis department store with a placard around his neck saying, in Yiddish, "PLEASE CAN YOU HELP A POOR MAN"
Moshe notices that the beggar is always smiling and whenever passers-by put money in his hat, the beggar thanks them personally. So Moshe goes over to the beggar and puts a £5 note in his hat.
"Why thank you very much sir," says the beggar, "you are very generous."
"Tell me," asks Moshe, "don’t you have a family?"
"Oh yes," replies the beggar, "I have a lovely family."
"Do you have any children?" asks Moshe.
"I have two handsome boys and two beautiful girls," replies the beggar, "and all four are very happily married."
"Well I think it’s disgraceful that they won’t support you," says Moshe.
"But they would support me if I let them," says the beggar.
"So why don’t you let them?" asks Moshe.
"What, and lose my hard won independence?" replies the beggar.