עיונים בשאלת היחס בין דת ומוסר בהגותו של בובר

The purpose of the article is to examine the relationship between religion and morality in Buber's thought from a historical point of view. This approach divides the development of Buber's thought into three periods: the predialogue period, the dialogue period and the late period. The element common to all three periods is the desire to unite religion and morality. In Buber, the origin of this desire is an existential problem of religious man who cannot accept a division between different spheres in his spiritual world but the form of the unity and its meaning very from one period to another. In the pre-dialogue period, according to Buber, the unity between religion and morality is assured by the element of decision which characterizes both of them whilst religion gives significance to morality. Through the act of decision, man imitates God. In the dialogue period, morality is identified with the I-Thou relationship while religion identified with the I — Eternal Thou relationship so that the link between both the relationships is that which obtains between religion and morality. An analysis of Buber's attitudes in this period shows that the same elements which directed his earlier thought are retained in this period but they are translated to express his conception of the dialogue. The late period is characterized by the growth of difficulties in the conception of dialogue and an increasing emphasis on subjectivity. This emphasis raises the problem of the validity of values, a problem which appears particularly at this time. Buber tries to base morality on religion but he meets difficulties because of his attempt to blend different and incompatible elements.