September 24, 1982

The Beirut massacre has plunged Israel into moral turmoil. To many Israelis, the old foundations of right and wrong feel shaken loose. A sudden wilderness seems to have enveloped the nation. There is no voice to speak for its conscience. ''I'm afraid that I don't know this country anymore,'' said an officer in the army reserves. ''They are destroying my country,'' said a woman in Jerusalem who fought to establish the state in the 1940's. Against this void, a search has begun for some equilibrium in which to examine the moral questions, to define the scope and limits of Israeli responsibility for the slaughter of hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children last week by Lebanese Christian forces. With a Government that apparently does not want independent questioning, it has fallen to each individual, each circle of friends and the larger circle of the nation. Step by step the picture is being assembled as soldiers come forward and the Israeli press probes.

Amin Gemayel took office as President today and pledged to work toward transforming Lebanon ''into a new, dynamic country'' free of foreign troops and of the long ''vicious cycle of bloody violence'' that it has suffered. The new President, a 40-year-old Maronite Christian lawyer and Member of Parliament, also made a gesture to Lebanon's Moslem leaders, pledging to maintain the nation's ties to the Arab countries, which he referred to as ''our Arab brothers.'' ''We have great hopes for him,'' former Prime Minister Saeb Salam, an influential Moslem leader, said of the new President. Israeli Pullout Goes On Elected two days ago by Parliament with strong support from Moslems, Amin Gemayel replaced his younger brother, Bashir, who became President-elect on Aug. 23 and was assassinated nine days ago. Amin Gemayel was sworn in today for a six-year-term, succeeding President Elias Sarkis.

''I offer no program for a new era because a single concern grips us now.

An article in Metropolitan Report Monday incorrectly identified the net- work affiliation of WKBW television in Buffalo. It is affiliated with ABC.

''THE show is actually a joke, a play on words,'' Steve Allen said the other night between shows. ''A few years ago somebody asked me, 'Have you seen ''Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well''?' and I answered, 'No, but I've seen ''Seymour Glick Is Alive but Sick.'' ' '' And so Mr. Allen, a restless, darting talent who seems to compose songs, conduct orchestras, write books, do standup comedy and create television and radio scripts between lecture and concert tours and acting assignments, whipped up a comic musical revue that riffles through the somewhat checkered existence of Seymour Glick, who emerges as the quintessential show business hanger-on. The revue provides the 61-year-old Mr. Allen with a vehicle to display several of his talents - song and comedy writing as well as the offhand quip.