Torah

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." [Joshua 1:8-9]

"I strongly believe... that the canonised Bible is the inerrant Word of G-d... I also believe that... by selectively studying the apocryphal and pseudepigraphic (not canonised) literature that was written concurrently with the biblical writings, we can often gain a better insight into the intended meaning of the related canonised writing." - Bob Fischer, The Ways Of The Way, p 182

Micah summed up how we should live, yet some dispute how we are to observe Torah. Friedman says: "We can help each other learn the Torah, and understand the principles by which Yeshua lived out the mitzvot. At the same time, we should not push each other to be conformed to our own standards. When Messiah returns he will ultimately teach us the perfect way until then, "we see through a dirty mirror.""

We think that learning and practising Torah is crucial for our lives, as it is written: 'Teach me Thy statutes, make me understand the way of Thy precepts, so I will meditate on Thy wonders (Ps.119:26b-27). How do we keep it though? The Prophet Micah said: 'He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.' (6:8) Amen

"Everyone of us has a mitzvah (instruction) with which we find an affinity. There is no need to convince, to argue, to cajole... just to find that mitzvah and encourage." (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson)

"What is hateful to you do not do to another. That is the whole Law, the rest is Commentary." (Rabbi Hillel, c. 70BCE - 10CE). "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Rabbi Yeshua, Matisyahu 7:12). Selah.

G-d said Torah is good - see Dt 6 and Ps 119 if you don't believe me! The word 'Torah' is from the Hebrew root 'yarah' (to shoot / take aim) and the opposite is 'chata', (to miss the mark, and also "sin" in the Bible). We need more respect for the whole instruction of G-d, and not simply write it off because it is alien to us. Yeshua didn't change it (Mt 5:17-18), and Paul thoroughly recommended it (2 Tim 3:16).

"Reading the Bible in translation is like kissing your new bride through a veil." (Jewish Poet, Haim Nachman Bialik, 1873-1934).

"The long exile of the Jewish people is at its end. In the same way, the long exile of the Gospel is at an end. Just as the Jewish people are returning to their native soil, we are returning the gospel to its original matrix of the Torah of Moses... Moses foresaw the time of restoration. 'And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments. (Deuteronomy 30:8)

"Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish mystical tradition. From a Messianic Jewish perspective, it is truly a mixed bag. At times, one can find within Kabbalism the most profound and Biblically-valid thoughts on everything from the Messiah's suffering for sin to even a Triune concept of the unity of G-d. However, Kabbalism also contains concepts from magic and paganism." Dan Juster, Jewish Roots, p238.

Genesis Rabbah 10: 1: "Everything has an end - heaven and earth have an end - except one thing which has no end. And what is that? The torah." And Yeshua said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets... I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, or the least stroke of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." (Mt 5: 17-18)