A man from the country comes to the city and approaches a gate that leads to the Law. He asks the doorkeeper if he can enter. The doorkeeper replies that he cannot enter at that moment but may do so later. The man sits down in front of the gate and waits.
The doorkeeper, however, keeps watch and denies him entry whenever the man tries to approach. Over time, the man grows tired and tries to bribe the doorkeeper with his possessions, but the doorkeeper refuses to let him through. The man spends his entire life waiting for the opportunity to enter, but it never comes.
As he grows old and weak, the man asks the doorkeeper why no one else has ever attempted to pass through the gate. The doorkeeper explains that this gate was meant only for the man and that no one else has been allowed to enter.
At the end of his life, the man says, “I have wasted my life.” And with that, he dies, staring at the gate. The doorkeeper, seeing this, declares that the gate will now be closed forever.
Before the Law by Franz Kafka, modified by Yifat Gat
A little girl from the country comes to the city and approaches a gate that leads to the Law. She asks the doorkeeper if she can enter. The doorkeeper replies that she cannot enter at that moment but may do so later. The little girl sits down in front of the gate and waits.
The doorkeeper, however, keeps watch and denies her entry whenever she tries to approach. Days turn to weeks, and weeks turn to months. The little girl grows tired, but she remains patient, and with time, she brings him small gifts, toys, and trinkets, hoping for a chance to pass. The doorkeeper refuses every time.
As she grows older, the girl becomes wiser, but the doorkeeper’s refusal never changes. One day, she asks him why no one else has tried to pass through the gate. The doorkeeper explains that this gate is meant only for her and that no one else has been allowed to enter.
Years pass, and now a young woman, the girl’s determination remains. She knows what the gate promises, but the doorkeeper’s word is unyielding. The girl stands up, looks at him, and without another word, she steps toward the gate. The doorkeeper raises his hand to stop her, but she pushes past him, entering the gate.
She smiles as she steps through. The moment she crosses, she feels the heavy weight of the years of waiting lift from her shoulders. On the other side, there is peace, joy, and clarity.
She is home.