whether it is the "master's" or the muzhik's--there
lives a petty and squalid demon of passive anarchism, who infects us
with a careless and indifferent attitude toward work, society, people,
and ourselves.

I believe that the morality of Judaism would assist us greatly in
overcoming this demon,--if only we have the will to combat him.

In my early youth I read--I have forgotten where--the words of the
ancient Jewish sage--Hillel, if I remember rightly:

"If thou art not for thyself, who will be for thee? But if thou art for
thyself alone--wherefore art thou?"[1]

The inner meaning of these words impressed me with its profound
wisdom, and I interpreted them for myself in this manner: I must
actively take care of myself, that my life should be better, and I
must not impose the care of myself on other people's shoulders; but if
I am going to take care of myself alone, of nothing but my own
personal life,--it will be useless, ugly and meaningless.

This thought ate its way deep into my soul, and I say now with
conviction: Hillel's wisdom served me as a strong staff on my road,
which was neither even nor easy. It is hard to say with precision to
what one owes the fact that one kept on his feet on the entangled
paths of life, when tossed by the tempests of mental despair, but I
repeat--Hillel's serene wisdom assisted me many a time.

I believe that Jewish wisdom is more all-human and universal than any
other, and this not only because of its immemorial age, not only
because it is the first-born, but also because of the powerful
humaneness that saturates it, because of its high estimate of man.

"The true Shekinah--is man," says a Jewish text. This thought I dearly
love, this I consider the highest wisdom, for I am convinced of this:
that until we learn to admire man as the most beautiful and
marvellous phenomenon on our planet, until then we shall not be set
free from the abomination and lies that saturate our lives.

It is with this conviction that I have entered the world, and with
this conviction I shall leave it, and in leaving it I will believe
firmly that the time will come when the world will acknowledge that

"The holy of holies is man!"

* * * * *

It is unbearably painful to see that human beings who have produced so
much that is beautiful, wise and necessary for the world, live among
us oppressed by unfair laws, which in all ways restrain their right to
life, work and f