Before the Law (II)

Thank you ivrit b'ivrit for your comment on the last post. You said:

"i do not really get it. in what ways do you understand this story?"

I guess I should explain. I think this story is a great mashal (parable) for us as teachers and, in reality, for all of us in general.

The story is of a man who, for his entire life, has been trying to gain "admittance to the Law." He tries everything only to find out, at the end of his life, that he has failed. The guard realizes that the man has...

...reached his end, and, to let his failing senses catch the words, roars in his ear: "No one else could ever be admitted here, since this gate was made only for you. I am now going to shut it."

How often do we try other people's methods to learn, to grow, to gain "admittance to the Law" to grow in Torah (my understanding, not Kafka's!) only to realize that we ourselves held the key to our own success. It has always been in our power, the trick is to recognize that we can.

In Avot D’Rebbe Natan 41:1 it says:
There are 3 crowns in the world, the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a good name rises above them all. The crown of priesthood, even if you give all the silver and gold in the world, you will not receive it.... The crown of royalty, even if you give all the silver and gold in the world, you will not receive it.... But the crown of Torah is not like that, to toil in the Torah, whoever wants, can come and take it....

The idea in Torah is that anyone can and should have access to it. However, there is one stipulation: "כל הרוצה ליטול יבוא ויטול" - Whoever wants to take [the "crown of Torah"], can come and take it." S/he has to want to take it. It does not happen on its own.

I think that is the message of the story in the last post. Let me know what you think.