Our family has also chosen to be very careful that as we seek to honour God, that we put our focus on our Heavenly Father’s commandments rather than tradition. I have found it very confusing for outsiders to distinguish between the two. They can become very confused with all the extra stuff. What speaks more clearly is living a life that is ‘Torah conformed’, with a changed heart that keeps His commandments naturally in our everyday living, business dealings and relationships etc, without all the extra religious trappings (I find those to be very distracting).

We have been freed to walk in His Ways, not man’s or any religious way. Otherwise, in taking these things on ‘we become entangled again in the yoke of bondage’.

I hope that makes sense. Blessings to all you ladies. Seek to walk in His loving care as His blessed family.
Karen

You write: “Amid the bleakness of despair, the cloudiness of immorality, and the blackness of sin, we have the light of Yeshua HaMashiach, Or HaOlam [light of the world]. As His followers, we radiate the love and holiness of G-d”

le-havdil,
The name of the historical Yeshua is Ribi Yehohsua.
The research of world-recognized authorities (for example Barrie Wilson; http://www.barriewilson.com) in this area implies that Ribi Yehoshua was a Pharisee (a Torah-practising Jewish group – who according to 4Q MMT (a Scroll found in the Qumran-caves) practised both written and Halakhah (oral Torah).
The historical Ribi Yehoshua did not teach that he was the light of the world. Just like all other practisers of Judaism he believed that Torah is the light!

Ribi Yehoshua – the Messiah – practised Halakhah (oral Torah) as preserved since Moshe (Moses) in an uninterrupted chain. משפט (Mishpat; a Hebrew word in Torah) is commanded to be followed by the mitzwot (commandments) in Torah. Mishpat is the decisions of how the mitzwot in Torah shall be followed! Therefore it’s no addition to the commandments as is prohibited in Devarim (Deuteronomy) 13:1-6. No one has the right to go against the authority of mishpat. See more at http://www.netzarim.co.il; click at the letters M and H and then scroll down to “mishpat” and “Halakhah”. Torah warns that one shouldn’t subordinate to the mishpat decided by the Beit Din; but instead follow their own eyes and their own heart. See the end of Be’midbar chapter 15.

I practise Torah and Halakhah to the best of my ability. I guarantee to you that it is not a heavy burden. It is wonderful to practise the mitzwot (commandments)

תורה (Torah) requires subordination to the בית דין (beit din)-system instituted by מֹשֶה בְפַּרְשַת יִתְּרוֹ (Mosheh in Parashah Yitro) and that the only legitimate בתי דין (batei din; that is beit din in plural) today are those that are successors to the בית דין system instituted by משה בפרשת יתרו: the Orthodox בתי דין.

If you want to follow the same and only Torah and Halakhah as the historical Ribi Yehoshua; you must subordinate yourself to Beit-Din ha-Netzarim (www.netzarim.co.il) in Ra’anana in Israel. That is the only Beit Din that believes Ribi Yehoshua is the Messiah; and therefore the only alternative to be a follower of Ribi Yehoshua is to subordinate oneself to the Beit-Din ha-Netzarim. The leader of Netzarim – Paqid Yirmeyahu ha-Tzadiq – is in good standing in the Beit ha-Kneset (Orthodox Synagogue) Moreshot Avot since more than a decade in Ra’anana in Israel. If you start doing that you will be a light by practising Torah!!

From Anders Branderud

I was first in our home to be introduced to the torah, my husband has since followed and has been a great encouragement…….he feels he doesn’t have as much time for reading, studying, etc. as I do. Recently I came upon your site and started followin the links, reading about headcoverings. It was not that foreign of an idea because my dh and I were raised in a Christian denomination that emphasized wearing a veil or head covering. The problem was, our particular congregation put such emphasis on the covering and so little emphasis on love. Ladies were left feeling that if they didn’t cover their heads they were definetly looked down upon and excluded.

Well, I don’t connect those experiences with my own desire to please Hashem. I have a renewed desire to cover, however I understand that it is mostly based on tradition and not command, likewise the kippah. As my husband and I discussed these things, he very passionately feels that he does not want to follow tradition, only scripture. He remembers the congregation we attended all our lives, and the forcing people to cover their heads. He has a bad taste in his mouth because of it. He was very clear that he does not want me to cover my head. (Of course I know that there are many traditions we all have that we hold on to which are completely unrelated to scripture……but didn’t want to argue that point!!!)

I think the main thing here is the submission. If he says no, I need to go with that and not stir up contention, even if I do not agree. I have to realize that he is in a different place right now, be patient, and perhaps things will change. But even if they don’t, I can still model a torah lifestyle by respecting him, honoring him, listening to him, and loving him…………quietly and humbly. Only the Ruach Hakodesh can speak to the inner most parts.

I would love to hear other experiences with headcoverings as well.

Shalom~