Learn a bit more about my walk following Messiah Yeshua into Torah. These questions are intended for fun and not comprehensive theological explanations for my beliefs, nor can these 20 questions cover all aspects of my Torah walk journey. I hope sharing my walk in 20 questions can encourage you in your walk!
If you would like to answer these same questions on your social media, please tag #WomenLivingTorah! If you have questions about my Torah walk not addressed here, comment below.
1. How do you describe or identify your faith/religious beliefs to others?
I usually identify myself as a Torah keeping Christian, as I find it clear and descriptive when talking to others. I am a Christian- a follower of Christ- who also pursues obedience to the Torah. I’m not attached to any particular label, though.
2. What do you call the two sections of the Christian Bible?
I call what is commonly referred to as the “Old Testament” the “Hebrew Scriptures,” and I call what is commonly referred to as the “New Testament” the “Apostolic Writings.” These terms came from Tim Hegg at Torah Resource.
3. When and how did you become a follower of Messiah Yeshua?
I was raised in a Christian home, more specifically the Pentecostal/Apostolic church, and from the age of 7 I felt the Lord drawing me to Himself. About that time, my family went through significant trauma, and I began to guard my heart from everyone— including the Lord. When I was 10 years old, I was baptized; however, I still resisted a full relationship with the Lord until I was 14 years old. When I was 14, I surrendered a lot of hurt I held from my childhood and dedicated my life to the Lord at an “altar call.” The transformation in me was instantaneous; I was completely changed, and I fell completely in love with my God and Savior!
4. When and how did you come to keep the Torah?
The short version is that when my husband and I were engaged in 2013, we began studying the Bible together. We started our studies by defining with Scripture what the different fruits of the Spirit are in Galatians 5:22-23. To our surprise, the Torah kept showing up in a positive light in these definitions. That led to us studying out how Scripture defines “sin,” “righteousness,” “grace,” and the like. After these studies, we knew Torah was still applicable to some extent, but we took another year to comb through all the “objections” we still had, based on writings in the Apostolic Writings. Nearly a decade later, and we’ve grown in our faith more and more, the Torah always pointing us to Yeshua our Messiah!
5. Has your understanding of YHVH changed since becoming a Torah keeper? What Bible story do you think best illustrates your current understanding of YHVH’s character?
Before becoming a Torah keeper, I viewed “the God of the Old Testament” as cruel, quick to judge and quick to kill people for disobeying His Law. In 1 Chronicles 21/2 Samuel 24, it always amazed me that David chose the hand of the Lord as his punishment, basically banking on the mercy of the Lord. How could he know YHVH would be merciful? But since becoming a Torah keeper, I actually take time to read the Torah and the Hebrew Scriptures in their entirety, and I am amazed by YHVH’s mercy! His mercy is His number one defining attribute! The book of Jonah is one of my favorite illustrations of YHVH’s mercy.
And David said unto Gad, “I am in a great strait: let me now fall into the hand of YHVH; for very great are His mercies….”
1 Chronicles 21:13
6. What was the hardest thing as a new Torah keeper?
As a new Torah keeper, I think the hardest thing was wanting to share excitement for what we were learning in the Scriptures and wanting to discuss them with others, but unintentionally causing a debate or an argument, making others feel backed up in a corner or judged. I was unprepared for how defensive these discussions would make people feel. (I’ve linked a video below concerning discussions with our family and friends about Christmas, which can be a very hot topic, and how they can be done respectfully.)
7. What has been an unexpected blessing or benefit of keeping the Torah?
When I first started on the Torah walk, other Christians would warn me about going down a path that would ultimately have me forsake and deny Christ. Now, nearly ten years on, I have unexpectedly found the exact opposite to be true! I am more excited and more in love with my Savior today than ever before. I am drawn closer to my Messiah Yeshua and know Him better through the Father’s commands! They all point to Him, after all, and faith in Messiah is the whole goal of the Torah.
8. When has keeping the commandments surprisingly impacted a decision or an area of your life?
When I needed an abscessed tooth pulled, the oral surgeon and I were discussing the process of having a bone graft for the option of a dental implant later. Toward the end of our consultation, I suddenly thought to ask, “What’s the bone graft made of?” The oral surgeon replied that most often it is a cadaver bone! Using cadaver bone would have made me unclean for the dead, essentially perpetually. I asked what other options I had, to which he explained I could use either a synthetic material or a bovine graft. The bovine graft acts as a platform for the body to rebuild its own bone structure, while absorbing the bovine graft over time; I chose the bovine graft.
When the day of the surgery came, I was just about to be sedated when I asked to confirm they had the bovine graft and NOT the cadaver or synthetic. They did not! We were able to reschedule for the following week in the office which did have the correct graft. I felt such relief that I avoided the cadaver bone! Praise YHVH for prompting me to ask at the last minute— both at the consultation and on the original surgery date.
**This story being told, let it be known this happened several years ago, and perhaps how I understand the process is not exactly as an oral surgeon might explain it, so if I have misrepresented any details, it is not intentional. You should always ask your own questions and gather your own information when making decisions about your healthcare.
9. What objection to Torah keeping do you hear most often, and how do you respond?
Generally speaking, I most often hear people say, “You just need to read _____” (fill in the blank with Galatians, Romans, Colossians, Hebrews— any and all the passages that have been taught as objectionable to this walk). My response is usually something to the effect of, “Thank you for the suggestion. I have read and studied this passage. Would you like to hear how I understand it?” (Or, if the person is being confrontational already, I might simply say, “I have a different understanding of this passage” and not invite further discussion on it.)
I’ve learned to be very careful not to assume— because I am so excited by discussing the Word— that the other person wants to have a discussion about the passage. I’ve also learned to never argue or debate the Scriptures. I find it joy sucking, and in a sense, devaluing the sanctity of the Word because the emphasis in a debate is usually about proving one’s own point.
10. What is your favorite moed (appointed time) and why?
I love Shabbat! While I read and study the Scriptures all throughout the week and pray all throughout my day, it is obviously with distraction and awareness of “what needs to be done next.” But when Shabbat comes— every week; praise YHVH— I have a full 24 hours to significantly reduce my responsibilities and the mental distractions so that I may completely focus on YHVH and His Word, spend time in fellowship with friends and family, and be refreshed!
Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest: that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Exodus 23:12
11. What do you do on the Sabbath?
Our Sabbath looks different since we moved from north Idaho to Texas since currently, we do not have a fellowship to gather with on Shabbat. Our family Shabbat day begins with breakfast, dressing, and taking care of our farm animals. Time moves a lot slower on Shabbat morning. We may wake up a little later. I usually like to drink my tea first and cuddle with my kids on the couch before serving breakfast. We may read a story or two after breakfast, instead of immediately getting dressed for the day.
Then, we all gather around for a Torah service. A Torah service in our home is a compilation of Scriptures, recited together (known as liturgy), and then we either read aloud or listen on audiobook to the Torah & Scripture portions for the week and discuss them. Our children may have a quiet toy, books, or children’s Bibles out, but they sit on the couch during the reading and discussing of the Torah. When we discuss the Torah, often, we are talking specifically to and with our children, explaining the Scriptures and answering their questions. These conversations are incredibly insightful!
After we end our Torah service, we have lunch together and an hour quiet time (everyone on their beds for quiet play, reading, or rest). The remainder of the afternoon is for individual study, prayer, and play. Sometimes, I will put a Superbook video on for my children. Sometimes, I have an activity related to the Torah portion for them, which we glue into their “First Torah” notebook. (Perhaps I’ll share what this is one day.) My husband and I usually study separately, but share with each other as we study. Sometimes, though, we study jointly.
We end Shabbat with dinner, a few Scriptures, and usually a song or two— something to indicate that Shabbat is ending. In the past, we have done a “Havdalah” (separation) type siddur and service, but since we’ve moved, honestly, I haven’t been making it happen. (Yes, we moved 18 months ago. Anyone else feel like it takes them a while to settle in after a move?)
12. What’s your favorite Biblically clean Shabbat meal?
My favorite Biblically clean Shabbat meal is chicken pot pie! I make my pie crust with coconut oil. Chicken pot pie can be made ahead of time, and is usually tastier the second day. It can be eaten warm or cold (once initially cooked), and the taste profiles are endless, depending on what’s in season. You don’t have to stick with the traditional veggies of onions, carrots, peas, and garlic. I especially love autumnal chicken pot pie, which I usually make with butternut squash or sweet potato, kale, radishes, red onion, garlic, and carrots. Honestly, any veggie combination is probably a winner!
13. What’s one thing you like to do to prepare for Shabbat?
On Friday prep day, I like to walk throughout my whole house as if I was a guest coming in and ask myself if it is welcoming and inviting. When I do this, I also tend to envision a large pot of stew on the back burner, ready and plentiful should we have an unexpected visitor. I don’t usually have a large pot of stew going, but it’s the mental picture I create when thinking about being ready and willing to have someone over for Shabbat at the last minute. I think about if we were to randomly come across someone on Shabbat, or if we wanted to continue fellowship with friends, I would want to without hesitation be able to invite whoever over and have a comfortable space and a warm meal to share. That’s the atmosphere I want to be in my home, as we go into Shabbat, and so, I walk through my home, adding a warm touch here or tidying up a disorderly pile there.
14. What was the transition to Biblically clean eating like for you?
Transitioning to Biblically clean eating hasn’t been much of an issue for us- more of a refining over time. As a child, I certainly ate unclean meats; however, I met my husband at 19, and he didn’t care for pork (our main source of unclean meat), so we rarely had unclean meat when together. As a frugal college student, I mostly ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. (True story.) Then, when we became engaged and married when I was 20, we were already on our Torah walk. I’ve not had to purge our home of unclean meats, and we ate so little of unclean meats before marriage that it really wasn’t a major change to our way of life. That being said, we have been refined in the area of eating Biblically clean out and clean fats over time.
15. What do you use in place of lard? Pork bacon? Pork sausage?
In place of lard, I use butter or coconut oil. In place of pork bacon, I use turkey or beef bacon. Instead of pork sausage, I add salt, rosemary, and pepper to ground beef.
16. How do you attach your tzitzit?
I use safety pins to attach the loop of my tzitzit to the corner seams of my shirt or skirt.
17. What color are the tzitzit you’re wearing right now?
I am wearing black and royal blue tzitzit, though sometimes I wear white and royal blue tzitzit.
You shall put upon the corner of each tzitzit a thread of techeliet, that it may be tzitzit for you, that you may see it and remember all the commandments of YHVH and do them, so you will not turn aside after your hearts and after your eyes which cause you to act in unfaithfulness after them.
Numbers 15:38-39
18. Do you think learning Hebrew is important? Are you learning Hebrew?
While I don’t think learning Hebrew is necessary, I do think it’s helpful and exciting for studying the Scriptures- and for visiting Israel. We are learning Hebrew as a family, though taking a more relaxed approach and timeline with it. We love the English & Hebrew Read Aloud channel on YouTube!
19. Have you visited Israel, or do you want to?
I have not visited Israel, but I would love to visit some day!
20. What do you most want Christian non-Torah keepers or Jewish people to know about your faith?
I’m not trying to be Jewish; I’m just trying to obediently follow the entire Word of God. My lifestyle may resemble a Jewish lifestyle in some respects because I follow YHVH and the same written Torah that the Jews do, and my Messiah came from the Jewish people, but the Torah does not belong to the Jews. It is the Creator’s Torah, and as one of His creations, I gladly obey.
I hope these 20 questions have given you some insight into how my Torah walk (in Christ) began and how it’s going, and have encouraged you in your own walk, whether you’ve just started it or have been on it for many years. I am so grateful YHVH’s people are a community that can share their various experiences with one another and further “provoke one another unto love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24)!
Shalom!
Raquel
Women Living Torah 