The Doctrine of Beitar

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It is possible that today it is already too late to speak of this, that a second opportunity will no longer come. Therefore there is nothing to even add the open type of "readiness-for-battle." A short time ago, in a conversation on these matters, a certain storyteller reminded me of the historical joke: In a dream, a man saw a plate of jam, but he had no spoon and could do nothing with the jam. And on the second night, upon going to sleep, he took a spoon with him – but the jam no longer appeared.

– Perhaps – and perhaps nevertheless? – Let's say: perhaps one should also not prophesize in the negative,

When an honest observer wishes to give himself an account of what he can acquire in the near future, he does not then engage in prophecies, unless it is of another certain type of merchandise; /1 Facts. /2 Hypotheses. "Politics' – this is the art of hypotheses," a great statesman once said. It is impossible to demand of a statesman that he be "certain" of what will happen tomorrow or in a year, but one thing can be demanded of him: that he study the previous facts, the state of affairs as they are in reality, and psychologically what results this state of affairs brought about in previous circumstances; the "hypothesis" – is that which assumes that similar results will arrive this time as well, and he must prepare himself and the state for it.

The "state of affairs" is known to all; the entire area of "the East" is in a state of transition and formation. A series of different processes has emerged there: a process of "Enlightenment," of a desire to be rid of the bundles of sepulchral life—upon which their spirit, religion, and structures are founded—and of the minimal influence of the "world to come" upon "this world"; this is felt most strongly in Turkey, and to a lesser extent everywhere. Parallel to this, the attempt continues to rally specifically a religious movement – the Pan-Islamic-religious one, and among them we witness strong and immense national aspirations. Perhaps one foundation for all these phenomena is this: the East wants to free itself from the rule of Europe. First of all, this is an effort to expel England, France, Italy, and also Holland from all ends of Africa and Asia. In this sense, it can be said that two immense camps stand there opposite one another; the East on one side and Europe on the other. However, it is not so simple, because these camps are not yet united among themselves.