Fundamentalne zobowiązania moralne Izraela w ramach etyki przymierza

Abstract

The starting point for the present considerations is the statement that the etics of Covenant in the Old Testament is responsive in its character. After showing the obligation for accepting God’s summons, the present author formulates the question about the nature of the fundamental moral attitude of Israel which should be realized as a part of Covenant. Basing on the comparison between the structure of the biblical Covenant and formula of other treaties existing in the Ancient Near East, we can limit the answer to this question to the analysis of various ways of expressing the so called „fundamental (main) commandment”. According to the present author, this commandment referred to the attitude of a man toward God. It demanded the exclusive affilation to God, obeying Him and called for the attitude of love and fear towards Him. It also called far the closeness to God and for following Him in His ways. It has been stressed that the proper understanding of this fundamental attitude in the etics of Covenant defends it from the objection of legalism as the sole observation of law did not express the idea behind it. It is also impossible to understand all the detailed rules of the law in a proper way without looking at it from the perspective of this fundamental obligation.