One Torah For All
One Torah shall be to him that is home-born, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Exodus 12:49

Statement of Halakah

“Halakah” is a Hebrew word that means “walk” or “way”.  It has come to mean the way in which we walk our path of faith.  On this page you will find the basics of halakah.  Halakah is considerably different than beliefs because halakah is something that we do rather than something we just simply believe.  Halakah is about how we live out our faith in our everyday living. 

Ya’aqov [James] 2:18 
But someone will say that he has faith but I have actions.  Show me this faith of yours without the actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions! 

The one thing that stands out about the book of Ya’aqov is that it is practical.  It is about how to live our lives of faith every day.  Notice this verse as well.

Ya’aqov [James] 1:22 
But you be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.

Please note that if one only believes and does not do His commandments then he has deluded and deceived himself.  Could we not all agree that being in self-deception is not a good place to be?  Therefore, it behooves us to walk in such a way that we are well-pleasing to Him to whom we will give an account of our actions one day.

Matithyah [Matthew] 5:17  
“Don't think that I have come to do away with the Torah or the Prophets.  I have come not to do away with but to verify.”

Messiah Himself teaches us that He did not come to do away with the Torah, but rather He came to show us the right way to walk in the Torah.  Is it any wonder then that we find many of the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) writers admonishing us to walk in the same manner as our Messiah walked, keeping the full Torah?  But how do we do this?  Before we get into the answer to that question let us prayerfully consider one other verse.

Yochanan [John] 14:15 
“If you love me, you will keep My commandments.”

Please note that Yeshua states that we are to keep (obey) His commandments.  He does not say that we are only to believe them.  Commandments are to be done, not just believed.  Herein lays the path to true unity: walking together keeping His commandments; realizing that we are not all at the same place in our walk of faith.

Ma’aseh [Acts] 15:19-21 
19   “Wherefore my judgment is, that we do not trouble them that are returning from among the Gentiles to Elohim;
20   but that we write to them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
21 for Moshe from generations of old has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Shabbat.”

This ruling by the counsel at Jerusalem was a ruling about halakah.  It was not a ruling about beliefs.  Notice that there are five things listed and each and every one of them is something that they expected those returning to Elohim to do.  Let us list them.

Please note that there are four negative halakah and one positive halakah.  There are four things that those returning to Elohim should not do and there is one thing that those returning to Elohim should do.  This is the entry point into His Kingdom and for fellowship in the synagogue. 

The halakah of attending synagogue every Shabbat to learn more about Torah is often overlooked and in some circles even spoken against.  But how can those who are returning to Elohim truly learn Torah if they do not attend synagogue to learn how to keep and obey Torah?  They cannot.

It is expected that as one learns how to keep Torah they grow into this knowledge and understanding.  And while they are growing in the knowledge, they are still our brothers and sisters and we are to watch over them with care and love as if they are our own children.  This is right and good in His eyes!

There are many things that we could discuss on this page like:

Each and every one of these things is important for us to know about and to do and keep their respective commandments concerning each one.  These things should not divide us, my brethren; but we should be patient towards one another not using these things as a means to break fellowship with one another.  Rather, we should bear with one another in love, understanding that we too once did not have the understanding that we have today.  Let us be kind and compassionate towards each other as we would want our Heavenly Father to be kind and compassionate towards us in these same matters.

Let us always strive towards this commandment from Yeshua our Mashiach:

34  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35  By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Yochanan [John] 13:34-35

Amein & Amein!