What Comes With?

A man was called
To stand before the king.
He came to his friend,
Fearful and worried.
His friend, with great tact and love said,
"Well, good luck! Can't come with you,
But, you know... enjoy!"

The man, dejected and upset,
Went to another friend,
His eyes brimming with tears.
This friend said, "I understand,
And I want to help you.
I will walk you to the gates,
But that is as far as I can go."

Finally, the man went to a third friend
Feeling somewhat hopeful,
But not entirely placated.
This friend, with a fire in his eyes told the man,
"I will take you to the end.
I will hold your hand
While you stand before the king.
Don't be afraid.
I'll be with you. I won't leave you."

The man went to the king.
He waved goodbye to his first friend-
He wasn't coming with.
He walked with his second friend,
But parted at the gate of the palace.
He went in with the third friend,
And they held hands before the king.


I keep hearing this mashal in many forms, in many places, from many people. The nishmal is as follows.
After 120 years, we are called before the King. Scared, we cling to our possessions, we hold on to our material wealth. But sadly, the money earned, the clothing bought and the electronics used, don't come with us. They wave goodbye as we go into the next world.
But we don't make our way to Shamayim alone. Our friends, our family, accompany us as far as they can go. The levaya is their way of taking us to the gate, they take us to the grave, and wave goodbye, for that is as far as they can take us.
So what accompanies us before the King if our possessions are left behind and our friends can't go pass the gates?
Our mitzvos. Our deeds, our actions, our tefilos, our tzedaka. That is what takes us before Hashem. Our mitzvos hold our hand, they refuse to let go. The more mitzvos we have, the stronger their hold is, the more comforting they can be for us when we stand before Hashem on Yom HaDin.

I dont know about you, but this really spoke to me. Sure, while we are on this earth, we buy things, we earn money... but if we don't use those things for mitzvos, they are worth nothing. if we don't donate our used clothes to a gemach, or give maaser from our earnings, then those things are worth nothing! And during our life, we make friends, and accquanitices, we have a family, siblings, relatives, and as much as they love us, they can only accompany us to the gates. Once we go into the grave, that's it. After we are buried our friends can't go with us! Only if we comfort our friends, help them when they are need, learn torah with someone or refuse to listen loshon hara, can our friends "go with us." The mitzvos we gain through our friendships are the only thing that will speak for us before Hashem. Our mitzvos our the only things that will stand with us before Hashem.

After 120, don't you want someone to hold your hand before Hashem?