The Apple Press

Thank G-d, I have the wonderful zechus (merit) of working with young children every day. There are so many lessons that we can all learn from life, but children can give over the purest lessons in the simplest way. The love that a child has for their parents is endless and boundless. They put their complete trust in their parents and know, without a doubt, that they will be provided with everything that they need. In addition, children are naturally happy because they have no fear. They have emunah pashuta (a simple and pure faith), and as a result, always have contagious, glowing smiles.
 
One story in particular stands out in my mind. It was first thing in the morning and the students were arriving. One of the girls came over to me with a glowing smile and the brightest look in her eyes and said, "Morah (teacher), guess what? My Abba (father) is coming today! My Abba is coming!" Her father was scheduled to come into school that day for a hands-on activity. The girl happily started telling every girl in the class about her father, jumping up and down from excitement. Every five minutes she came over to me, asking when she was going to see her father. Her excitement continued to grow more and more as each minute passed. A little while later, she asked again with a little less patience, "Morah (teacher)! When is my Abba coming?" I told her (after answering her same question ten other times), that her father was here and we were all going to see him soon. As we walked into to the room where her father was waiting, she ran as fast as she could, and he swept her into his arms. He embraced her with the biggest smile and I could see the light and pure love in his eyes, being reunited with his daughter that he saw just earlier that morning.
 
This is the relationship that each one of us can have with Hashem. We can feel that excitement of reuniting with our Father in Heaven, and being close to Him every second of our lives. It is not necessary to wait for Hashem to come to our schools, our homes, or our offices. Why wait for that when He is with us all the time! He is the One waiting for us to come to Him! King David says in Psalms, Ki Ata Im'adi, “because You are with me.” Hashemis with us always, everywhere we go. He is asking, "When will my precious son/daughter come home to me? When will he/she speak to me? I have been waiting so long to hear his/her voice! I miss My precious child, and can't wait to finally reunite again!" It is all in our hands. Right now, this very second, our loving Abba is waiting with arms wide open, longing for our embrace! He is waiting for us to run into His arms. We should learn from these children and develop the same excitement for Avinu She'bashamayim (Our Father in Heaven) that they do for their parents! We CAN attain the purest level of love that these children have, because we are children to Hashem, and there is no love like the love of Hashem to His children. Every time we do a mitzvah, recite a blessing, do a chesed (good deed), or talk to Hashem in personal prayer, we are reuniting with Him. We can be connected every single second!
 
There is something else that I learned that day.
 
The girl’s father came in to teach the students how to make apple cider. He brought in an apple press, and allowed each student to take a few apples, put it in between two pieces of metal, and then turn the wheel to crush the apples. After enough were crushed, the father took a press and crushed the apples more, which then made the juice flow out into a container. It was pure juice, with nothing else in it. We can each take a lesson from this. Sometimes we have to go through certain periods in our lives that are seemingly bad, and they may be painful or hard to deal with. We feel as though we are being crushed and suffocated in every way. Nothing seems to go right, and many nisyonos (challenges and difficulties) attack at us all once. Then, when we think that we could not possibly deal with another challenge, something else comes and the yetzer hara (evil inclination) tries to get us down and crush us. This is the apple press of life. All of these nisyonos (challenges) seem to be the worst things that could possibly happen to us. Without emunah (faith), it could lead to sadness and depression, G-d forbid, and cause us to give up. That is not what Hashem wants for us!
 
Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches us to never give up! All of these challenges are given to us for our own personal benefit. Sometimes, the challenges we face in life are the sweetest, most precious presents wrapped in ugly paper. Hashem only gives us tests out of His unconditional love for us. If you keep your emunah (faith) in trying times like these, you will, with Hashem's help, merit to SEE and TASTE the sweetest flow of blessings and happiness in your life. You will taste the purest juice you have ever tasted! With emunah (faith) and never giving up, you can't go wrong. It will change the way you look at EVERY problem you face, it will help you be a stronger person and eved Hashem (servent of Hashem), and it will help you attain greatest happiness and a stronger relationship with Hashem.