நம்பிக்கையின் கூற்று
T.O.R.A.H. Works ministry focuses on the application of the principles set forth in the written Torah and the bible as a whole. We adhere to the teachings of Yeshua* the Messiah (*See Note 1 Bottom of Page), with the Torah as our foundation. We understand how Yeshua is Gods' propitiation for the sins of mankind and how His sacrifice bids us to return to a covenantal relationship with YHVH. He is our example in keeping and understanding the Covenant that YHVH made with Israel delivered by Moses, and renewed by his own blood. Of course, there are deeper things we could get into as far as observances and devotions such as prayer watches, keeping kosher, biblical time keeping, but this page covers the basics.
uuhgheioy - Ancient Paleo Hebrew spelling of the name of the Creator; יהוה (Modern Hebrew); YHVH (English)
Other Transliterations: Yahuah, Yahveh, Yehovah, Jehovah and Yah - the colloquial name of God.
BERITH/COVENANT
COMMANDMENTS, STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS | EXODUS 20
We are covenant children of the Most High God who is known by His name יהוה. We strive to learn and walk according to the Word of Yah a.k.a., the Holy Bible, The Scriptures, Tanakh or The Jerusalem Bible, since we study from various bibles and biblical resources. We are versed and study the apocryphal books, and dead sea scrolls. We do not ascribe to endless commentaries of men but prefer to allow the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh to teach, convict, and guide our lives.
KAVANAH/INTENT
BEING AWARE OF AND MEETING GODS EXPECTATIONS | ZECHARIAH 7:9-14
Zec 7:9-14 states:
“Thus speaketh יהוה of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” (King James Version)
The LORD is very clear about what he expects of His people, but because for a few millenia mankind has tended to spend more time on man-made tradition and looking at each other for approval or to condemn, we are disjointed. It is time to put aside our differences and focus on the basic instructions for life, and to come together as the nation of Israel.
Zec 8:16-17 states:
“These are the things that you must do. Speak the truth to one another; let the judgements at your gates be such as conduce to peace; do not secretly plot evil against one another; do not love false oaths; all this is what I hate. It is Yahweh who speaks.” (The Jerusalem Bible)
TESHUVA/RETURN
FULL IMMERSION WHILE APPLYING THE BLOOD OF YESHUA | ACTS 2:38
Teshuva is the Hebrew word that means Return, this process starts with an act of Repentance. Repentance is acknowledging YHVH as Creator, His law as true, thereby admitting our transgression of His law. Repentance should be sincere and usually takes place at what most people today understand to be an Altar.
We believe, as Yeshua taught, the washing away of sin called Mikvah (Baptism). We use the name of Yeshua (*Refer to Note 2 bottom of page) and full immersion in living water. We approach this act as a part of the salvation process starting with death (Repentance/Teshuva), burial (Baptism/Mikvah) and resurrection (Renewed Man/One with YHVH i.e. Echad) this process is the application of water, the blood of Yeshua (Jesus) and the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) as prescribed in scripture.
TALMADIM/DISCIPLESHIP
THE APOSTLES RULING: ABSTAIN FROM 4 ACTS; LEARN THE TORAH | ACTS 15:20,21
We believe Discipleship starts after a person has been reborn, after removing themselves out of the hands of the Adversary (Satan, H'Shatan/Adversary) and placing themselves into the hands of YHVH through obedience to the Acts 2:38 message. This starts with ACTS 15:20,21. It is the transition from being blind to beginning to see. In order for the scales of the world to begin to fall away every new believer needs to understand the importance of abstaining from these four things in order to understand the TORAH. In these verses the Apostle James makes it clear that YHVH intended for pagans who desire to join themselves with His people, and made the following proposed ruling:
"I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for the pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has always had his preachers in every town, and is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath." Acts 15:19-21
The Apostles agree to make it clear that new believers with pagan origins, in order to make their transition into Torah observance easier, they abstain from these four critical pagan practices. Because they will continue to learn the Laws of God as they listen to the Torah Portions read each week when Yah's people assemble. This is not currently done in any Churches or synagogues today.
MOEDIM/APPOINTMENTS
KEEPING THE APPOINTED TIMES/FEASTS OF YHVH OUR GOD | LEVITICUS 23
We keep the biblical feasts of hgheioy (Paleo Hebrew), יהוה (Modern Hebrew), YHVH (English)
SHABBAT/SABBATH
*ROSH KODESH/RENEWED MONTH
PESACH/PASSOVER & FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD/FIRST FRUITS, SHAVUOT/FEAST OF WEEKS/PENTECOST
YOM TERUAH/DAY of TRUMPETS
YOM KIPPUR/DAY OF ATONEMENT
SUCCOTH/FEAST OF TABERNACLES
As well as
CHANUKAH/FEAST OF DEDICATION.
We do not keep Rosh Hashanah, and rarely participate in Purim, not because Purim is wrong but because sometimes it gets out of hand. If you are interested in finding out why we refrain from Rosh Hashanah this article Did Yeshua Celebrate Rosh Hashanah by Brother Douglas of Community of Israel talks about it.
SHALOM/PEACE
DO ALL YOU CAN TO LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE | ROMANS 12:18
We promote an atmosphere of peace for those with a sincere longing that may be at various stages on their journey. If you are looking to argue with or judge your brethren, we are not that. But if you are looking for a family of believers that supports the unity of the brethren through love, and a genuine desire to learn; we have been looking and praying for you. If you are a lost soul who just doesn't know what to believe, but are interested in learning about God and His ways, come, "Taste and see, that Yehovah is good."
As far as leadership it is the intent and desire of this ministry to establish a counsel of Elders that has authority to guide, guard and govern the body. Supplication and efforts are being made in the hope that Abba will establish Elders for this purpose in the area of the Southwest communities and congregations. Including but not limited to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah the four states that encompass the four corners of the earth. Other States may be included in the future depending on the will of God.
Here at T.O.R.A.H. Works Ministries our goal is to begin to truly walk in what our Heavenly Father has given to us in His word. It does not require an extensive understanding of Hebrew or Greek, a theological degree, it is simple enough for any child to understand and that is to hear and do what we learn out of His Word.
TZEDAKAH/JUSTICE & CHARITY
”ALL THAT YOU GIVE ME I WILL SURELY GIVE YOU A TENTH." | GENESIS 28:22
As Christians we all learned how important it is to give a tithe, and as adherent to Judaism we learned how the Jewish world understands Tzedakah. The truth is that the Bible does not actually command us to give a tenth of our income, biblical Torah establishes a concern for justice by caring for certain groups. This ministry was ignited by the injustice that we have personally experienced, and seen, homelessness, poverty, marginalization. Giving to God is about righteousness about justice. Just like when Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, when we give to God we are giving to the cause of the poor, the oppressed, the widow. Isaiah says:
"Learn to do right; seek justice, Defend the oppressed, Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."
This is our aim here at T.O.R.A.H. Works Ministries. When we take up the cause of the widow it is counted as righteousness, but many do not have the time to personally take up these causes and that is why people find a worthy charity and give. There are many scriptures that express the importance and connection between Justice and Charity.
LEARN hgheioy
...And men will learn that I am hgheioy. (Yahveh, Yahweh, or Yehovah) | EZEKIEL 36:8-38
The utterance of the Ancient and Holy name of God is not forbidden. Our call is to utter our Heavenly Fathers name as prescribed in scripture. Not profaning it by "using it in vein" as instructed in the third commandment. This has to do with doing what one says, being a man or woman of your word, it is more than using a dash between God (G-d) and Lord (L-rd). I will add to this website a teaching on this topic for clear biblical guidance on the utterance of of the name of God in the near future.
Moreover, as indicated in Note 2 below concerning the proper pronunciation or spelling of the Messiah's TRANSLITERATED name the same applies to the ancient name. We tend to continue to pronounce the name of God as our Sephardic ancestors do in Spanish, but we do not judge people for saying Yahweh, Yahveh, or even Yahuah. We believe that because language is tied to people geographically and ethnically people will pronounce a name in a way that fits their ethnic and linguistic background.
Notes from Asterisks above
1.) a.k.a. Jesus Christ - derived from the Greek (Iousus) version of the Hebrew (Yeshua). Not the same in general understanding of character and obedience. Yeshua kept the Torah of Moses and taught others to do the same. What the Greco-romanized Messiah has become in general understanding is not what the disciples new of him during his ministry. We will and do pray using the English, we have no problem with anybody praying or calling on the name of Jesus, we just prefer to use the Hebrew.
2.) The Messiah's parents and all that knew him at the time of his life called him Yeshua i.e. Yehoshua, Yahushua, Yahshua, and other variants of his name are all acceptable. None of us today were there at that time, so no one can really say to others what variant or spelling is the right one. It is not reasonable to argue over spellings of a transliterated name from a language that is not alive in its original form being a violation of the principles of scripture no matter what denomination, or religion one may be.
3.)Renewed Month aka New Moon Feast - We at T.O.R.A.H. Works believe that this feast is to be defined by the monthly watching of the moon through its cycles. The New Moon Feast starts when the last of the waning moon is gone and ends about 2-2.5 days later when the sliver is sighted in Isreal. We have determined that though the scripture is clear that the sliver is sited from Israel, we believe that in order to learn to keep biblical time we too should be physically watching for the new moon where we live.