While reading Kafka’s Before the Law, I couldn’t help but notice the parallels that this mysterious and mighty “Law” has in relation to G-d. I consider myself a religious modern-Orthodox Jew, so many religious themes that was taught to us throughout the 14 years of Jewish education recurred to me while reading this particular piece.

The primary and most obvious instance of The Law’s representation of G-d is the ‘hype’ that surrounds it. The man from the country clearly highly respects the Law since he asked permission to enter in the first place. Also, the gatekeeper informed the man that the Law is ‘protected’ by many other gatekeepers and that although, “[he is] powerful. [He is] only the most lowly gatekeeper. But from room to room stand gatekeepers, each more powerful than the other.” (19) I believe the gatekeepers can also symbolize G-d’s angels/messengers who are also spoken about in Judaism as being powerful and close to G-d.

Another example of the Law/G-d analogous is how Kafka tends to refer to the Law in a singular way. The man from the country never seeks to confront a particular law, or a sector of the law, rather he prompts the notion that the Law, like G-d, is as one. This resembles the monotheistic approach that is so prominent and significant in Judaism.

Subsequently, Kafka brings in the idea of accessibility and omnipresent. The man claims that “the law should always be accessible for everyone, he thinks” (19), while there is also the assertion that one ought to be able to reach to God without any prerequisites spoken about in religion.

The strongest case, and my personal favorite is the theme of free will that is suggested in Kafka’s tale. To the reader, it was remarkable that the man had so much self-control to literally wait a lifetime for even the opportunity of entering “before the law”. The Torah, (Jewish bible) is often considered the book of Law, or a Jew’s guidebook to living life. The Torah consists of hundreds of rules, and thousands more that Rabbis later added on (known as Halachot). A Jew is supposed to abide by those laws in order to live a good life. Many of them are ridiculous and make absolutely no sense however, we follow them because there is a sort of fear, and reverence, and love that we have towards our G-d—just like the countryman has towards the Law. Free will is something that only we have control over. We can choose not to listen to G-d, to just walk into the gate and follow that temptation. If we do, nothing would really happen. It is something of sublime, of unknowing and of power that is characterized in both the Law and in G-d that creates this fascinating correspondence.