I have a problem, it seems that some people are getting teachings online to gain more knowledge about living a Torah lifestyle and/or a Jewish lifestyle. I understand that there are many good teachers online as there are many bad teachers. To me this is why it is so important to understand what it means to be Torah observant.

  1. Love G-d! And love Him with all your heart, soul, and strength

To me if your heart is to follow the L-rd then draw near to Him and read His Word! Do not go to the oral traditions first. Do not go to preachers first, do not search online first. In fact, I dare you to drop all of that extra stuff, and solely go straight to Word of G-d. Read it all!

  1. In reading, get to know G-d! Getting to know G-d is most important! Correlating with number 1 above, It is how you show your love for G-d.

Many people are living like Jacob from the Bible. Throughout his life we see Jacob refer to G-d as “the G-d of my fathers”, because G-d was not yet His own. Jacob couldn’t see G-d as “my G-d”, because Jacob did not know G-d in a personal way. Did Jacob have faith in G-d, yes! However, there were idols that remained in Jacob’s camp. When you get to know G-d you would know that the idols must be removed. This brings me to the next point.

  1. You shall have no other god’s before me.

When people think about gods they think of images, but scripture goes further to say that there would be “non-gods” that never existed before… these ideas of gods that are non-gods but people make them to be gods. We have to be careful on how we lift ourselves up, because when we think we know, the Bible says… we don’t know as we are supposed to know! It is in this that we must humble ourselves in acknowledging that we do not know all things, and we need to seek G-d through whom all knowledge has come about.

  1. Love your neighbor as yourself

Loving your neighbor is an interesting idea that many have lost today especially in neglecting the call to gather with your community. People need G-d, and people need people. We must understand who our neighbors are. Yeshua reveals the meaning of being a good neighbor through the story of the Good Samaritan. It asks each of us to be there for anyone in true need. People come to services on Shabbat, because they need/want rest, they want G-D’s goodness, they want to know G-d, and they want to love G-d!

It’s hard sometimes to see the love of G-d, but the purpose of the Shabbat is to see His goodness and recall His loving kindness! Most of our lives (though we ourselves are living miracles) we are without miracles, but when I go to a congregation I get to hear about the miracles that are happening around me giving me the assurance that my miracle will come. It’s not just about listening online, it’s about seeing firsthand the goodness and the glory of our G-d! I believe that Faith comes through hearing the W-rd of G-d! But the result of my faith comes through acting upon The Hope in love! My hope is in Adonai, who is Yeshua (Jesus),  and I love Him and strive to know Him through His W-rd. But how can you fully know Him if you neglect to see how G-d is bringing redemption to all the house of Israel?! The children of Israel in Exodus were without need, because they were united before G-d. The children of Israel in Acts gathered and no one was in need, because they were together in One Spirit. If you do have the ability to give then give so that no one may be in need, and when the one who was in need gives thanks to G-d, because of you… you will be blessed. Give food if that is what you have, give clothes if that is what you have, give money if that is what you have, and if all you can give is an encouragement from the L-rd, then give an encouragement. If you are in need, then here I am without much… no gold, no silver, but I give what I do have - in the name of Yeshua the Messiah get up and walk in His mighty power, be healed in Yeshua’s name! Get up having received from Him what you have asked for - His Salvation! But, for you to love your neighbor, go to them and do not neglect to do your duty now to give as you have received!

Let’s stop this idea of growing in the knowledge of the Torah online nonsense, and find a place to behold the glory of G-d together! Do not neglect your community! (here are some great congregations all around the world: IAMCS Congregations)

And even before that, stop reading this post and read your Bible with the intent to know G-d Now! 

Jeremiah 2:11 (TLV): Has a nation changed its gods— even though they are not gods?Yet My people have exchanged their glory for worthless things.

 

Jeremiah 16:20 (TLV): Will man make gods for himself? Yet they are not gods.

Jeremiah 16:10–13 (TLV): Now it will come to pass, when You will tell this people all these words, they will say to you: ‘Why has Adonai pronounced all this great evil against us? So what is our iniquity? So what is our sin that we have committed against Adonai our God?’ 11Then will You say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken Me,’ says Adonai, ‘and have walked after other gods, served them and worshipped them, and have forsaken Me and have not kept My Torah. 12Yes, you have done worse than your fathers. For here you are, each of you walking after the stubbornness of his evil heart, not listening to Me. 13So I will cast you out of this land into a land that you have not known—neither you nor your fathers—and there you will serve other gods day and night. For I will give you no grace.

1 Corinthians 8:1–7 (TLV): Now concerning idol sacrifices, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2If anyone thinks he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 4Therefore concerning the eating of idol sacrifices, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Yeshua the Messiah, through whom are all things,and we exist through Him. 7But that knowledge is not in everyone—some, so accustomed to idols up until now, eat food as an idol sacrifice; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled

Acts 3:6 (TLV): Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you—in the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiach ha-Natzrati, get up and walk!”

Acts 4:32–37 (TLV): Now the whole group of those who believed was one in heart and mind. No one would say anything he owned was his own, but they had everything in common. 33With great power the emissaries were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Yeshua, and abundant favor was upon them all. 34No one among them was needy, for all who were owners of lands or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds 35and set them at the feet of the emissaries. And the proceeds were distributed according to the need each one had.

36Now Joseph, also called Barnabas by the emissaries (which is translated Son of Encouragement), was a Levite and native of Cyprus. 37He sold a field that he owned and brought the money and laid it at the feet of the emissaries.