The Covenant that God made with Noah is actually the foundation of universal rights, ethics and spirituality for all mankind. According to the Biblical narrative, in the 33rd century BCE, the Deluge engulfed the land, erasing all life save for Noah, his family, and the creatures aboard the ark. In the aftermath of this cataclysmic event, God established a covenant with Noah and his descendants, which is regarded as the cornerstone of human morality and divine order.

The covenant, as recorded in Genesis 9, emphasizes two central principles: the sanctity of life and the ethical boundaries of sustenance.

• God admonished Noah and his progeny not to consume "flesh with the life – the blood – in it" (Genesis 9:4), a directive that establishes a sacred distinction between humans and animals, while underscoring the responsibility to treat life with reverence.
• Furthermore, God declared, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God He made man" (Genesis 9:6). This injunction reflects the divine image imprinted on humanity, making murder not merely a social crime but a desecration of God's creation.

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 56a/b) elaborates on this covenant, tracing its roots to the covenant made with Adam. While Noah received the explicit prohibition against consuming blood, Adam and Eve were entrusted with six fundamental laws, [Noahide_Laws#The_Seven_Laws|derived exegetically from Genesis 2:16]. Together, these seven Noahide Laws form a universal covenant which consist of recognizing One God, reward and punishment and good deeds. It encompassing prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, theft, sexual immorality, and the consumption of blood, alongside the establishment of systems of justice to uphold these principles.

Judaism was built on top of this Noahide covenant, and it's only purpose is to act as a beacon to the nations, teaching and preserving the Noahide Covenant. The prophets of Israel envisioned a harmonious world where the nations adhered to these universal precepts, while Israel fulfilled its unique role as a priestly nation, safeguarding and disseminating divine wisdom. In this vision, the Noahide Covenant serves not only as a historical agreement but as an eternal, unifying framework for all humanity, linking diverse peoples to a shared divine purpose.