Musing - What is the Torah?

Hebraic Musing - What is the Torah?

Is there a more descriptive word to call the Torah rather than referring to it as “Law”?   

The symbolic meaning of the letters in Torah are Tav [Seal/Covenant]; Vav [Connect]; Resh [Highest]; Hei [Breath of God];  or a “Covenant connecting to the highest breath of God”.  -  Yosef

Following is Johanna Hocker’s Readers Digest version of the Torah from her e-mail of January 27, 2015::

Many people feel strongly about keeping the Torah, but there is a strong push back from people who say we are into works righteousness and that the Torah has been done away with.  Those of us who keep the Torah came out of a variety of denominations including Catholicism and Protestantism.  We totally went against the grain, some having horrible stories of being kicked out of churches.  Each person's story is a bit different, but gradually we have come to the realization that the Bible is unified from Genesis to Revelation and nothing needs to be dismissed as it all fits together wonderfully.  

First of all, just a reminder that Torah does not mean "law", generally speaking, it means instruction.

Here is a basic introduction to the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.  Words in bold have a connection with Yeshua, they are typologies with characteristics reminding us of Yeshua.  

Genesis: creation, disobedience, jealousy ending in murder, call of Abraham and series of covenants with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Joseph being sold into slavery then the famine that brought Dad/Jacob and all the brothers down to Egypt.

Exodus: surviving the famine in Egypt, slavery, rise of the great deliverer Moses, plagues, departure on Passover, formation of the nation, referred to as a congregation or assembly, learning dependence on Yehovah, covenant with Israel, building tabernacle, establishing priesthood, relationship and property guidelines, social and legal issues, and worship instructions.

Leviticus: the stereotype of sacrifices for sin is broken in this book, it contains verbatim quotations from Yehovah and affirmations of His holiness as well as worship through sacrifices, to draw close to Him. Leviticus ends with a list of blessings for following the instructions given and a list of curses for disobeying Yehovah’s instructions.

Numbers:  the book begins and ends with a census for military purposes; then 12 spies were sent into the Promised Land and 10 come back with fear that they will be defeated.  Only Caleb and Joshua acknowledge the situation, but knowing that with Yehovah fighting for them, they would take the land.  Thus began their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness with the death of those alive at the time of the coming out of Egypt, except for Joshua and Caleb.  Rebellion: Korah and those with him, Balaam, and Baal worship.  Chapter 33 has a summary of the journey from Egypt.  The book contains many instructions for living. 

Deuteronomy: this book is a review by Moses of the things that have happened since leaving Egypt.  Chapter 6 is a very important chapter, containing the Shema {quoted in the gospels}.  Deuteronomy also contains the list of blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience.  The book ends with the Song of Moses and his final blessings before his death.  Moses death is recorded.  He was not allowed to go into the Promised Land due to his disobedience when he struck the rock when he was told to speak to it.

Points to ponder

Is there a better description for the Torah than to refer to it as “Law”?  

What English word would better describe the essence of those five books?

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                 February 24, 2015                                                

Author “Hebraic Insights”;  “Biblical_Marriage” & “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
Weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”
Yosef1@cox.net   or  www.InsightsByYosef.com