The Star Fruit and the Apple

 

Starfruit 

B"H

Last year, I heard an inspiring Tu be'Shevat story at the house of Rabbi Mordechai Machlis. Henny Machlis, the Rabbi's wife, had her family visiting from New York and her mother, Mrs. Lustig, told the following story:

An apple tree was standing next to a star fruit tree and because the fruit of the star fruit tree looked so nice and shiny, the apple tree became jealous. It complained to G - d that it wants to grow star fruit as well and no more apples.

On weekends, many people were having trips and found shade under the apple tree. They picked the apples and made jam or apple cake. Everyone enjoyed the apple tree but the tree kept complaining to G - d that it wants to bear star fruit.

Then, one day, an apple fell off the tree and the fruit opened up. This was the first time, the apple tree ever saw it's fruit from the inside. And what did it see ? A star !

At this point, Mrs. Lustig cut an apple and showed us the star pattern around the pits.

The apple tree was growing stars the whole time (inside the apples) and didn't know about it. It just had to come a moment were it discovered it's hidden stars.

The same with human beings. Also we have hidden stars inside of us and we just have to open up in order to discover them.