The Jewish State
The basis of the Betarian viewpoint consists of one idea: the Jewish State. In this simple idea
however, lies a deep meaning indeed. What do the nations of the world symbolize? They
symbolize that every nation must contribute its own share to the common culture of mankind, a
share which is distinguished by its own specific spirit. This contribution should not and cannot
consist merely of the ideas and good advice to other nations; it must serve as a living example of
ideas and ideals, tangibly realized, expressed not only in books but in the collective life of the
people as well. For this purpose, every nation must possess its own "laboratory", a country
wherein the nation alone is master and can freely suit the common life in accordance with its
own conception of good and evil. A people's own state is such a laboratory.
There was prevalent for a long time the opinion among Jews that although the Jewish nation has a "mission" of its own, a complexity of ideals which it must contribute to civilization, we can,
nevertheless, best serve this mission by remaining scattered among the nations of the world.
Thus we will be able by closer contact, they maintain, to offer our ideas to every nation
so that it should follow our advice in its collective life. This is a grave mistake. As already stated,
one cannot be taught by precept alone. The world is prone to learn even new ideas from tangible
examples only. England has, for instance, given to the world an important social idea - self
government of a free citizenry. How then did the English nation teach other peoples to
understand and regulate such a parliamentary system? Certainly not by being scattered among
the nations and so convince them; just the opposite is true. Thus it became an example from
which the world learned. In a like manner, the French nation carried out its mission of instructing
the world the teachings of liberty and equality which it accepted during the great French
Revolution The only right way to offer mankind some good is to show practically, and not
verbally, how to achieve it. It is not true that the Zionists have ignored the idea of mission, the
mission of the Jewish nation in the world; rather we believe that the world will yet learn from us
many truths, truths still unknown to it. However, the single way leading to this is the creation of
the Jewish State.