Hmm, so the real problem was writing down what they supposedly agree on in detail and trying to make it law?

I wonder if an emperor ever tried to get them to stop doing that, leaving it between each person and God?

slavery and warfare imposed itself by force on every random group of people that could be found in the ancient Middle East and along huge trade routes from there. Large areas of fertile Earth had nowhere to hide from the attacks of neighbors. Where in your example, would a mother be able to have children and raise them?

In some times in India, it was actually a problem for tribes that young and old men would go find some secluded place to find themselves and god. Actual tasks of daily life, medicine and comfort were neglected for the other eighty percent of the population that were not young or old men.

In some sense it is selfish to insist on seclusion by individuals. The lesson is not at all obvious to the person who is thinking that way.