The Turkey Prince #101 min read

This series is dedicated to the loving memory of Rabbi Moshe David Averick, l’illui nishmas Moshe David ben Naftali Yosef HaLevi v’Leah. May his neshama have an aliyah.

וְכֵן הִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ עַד שֶׁרִפֵּא אוֹתוֹ לְגַמְרֵי. וְהַנִּמְשָׁל מוּבָן לִמְבִינִים

And so, he behaved with him until he healed him completely. And the explanation is clear to those who understand.

Rebbe Nachman’s parable ends with the prince being completely healed. Still, interestingly enough, Rebbe Nachman does not explicitly state the fact that the prince comes to the recognition that he was not, in fact, a turkey. While this is implied, Rebbe Nachman’s conclusion is almost intentionally ambiguous. This creates room to interpret that, at times, one’s self-esteem will have setbacks. It isn’t as easy a process as it may seem, and that’s OK. Keep acting like a “human”, and with time, the illusion of your having been a turkey will fade away.

Thanks for joining us on this exploration of Rebbe Nachman’s parable! We hope you enjoyed!

Acknowledgements:     

I have many people to thank, but for brevity’s sake, I would like to highlight the following:

      Thank you, Dov Bear Smillie and Mordechai Weinberger, for exploring this parable with me. Those discussions were the foundation upon which this work was built.

      Thank you, Michael Abramowsky, for allowing me to express the early stages of this work with you. Additionally, thank you for helping create the earlier drafts of the work, as well as editing earlier iterations. Your passion was contagious and motivational, and I greatly appreciate your friendship. 

      Thank you, Abba and Ima, for so many things, but, in particular, for your dedication to sincerity and truth which have been key ingredients in my personal development.

      Thank you, Chaviva. Words cannot do justice to the debt of gratitude I owe you. Out of respect to your modesty, I will suffice it to thank you for providing an environment conducive for Torah, Avodah and Gemilus Chasadim to flourish for myself and our children.

      Thank you, Hashem, for allowing me to have a relationship with You. I hope You will continue to bless my family and I, as well as allow us to plumb the depths of Your Infinite Wisdom and attach ourselves to You.