What does it mean to be Torah Observant?
Torah Observant means one who is a believer in Yeshua as the Messiah. Yeshua, is often called Jesus in main stream Christianity, who lived, died, and rose from the dead over 2000 years ago. Yeshua is the Promised Messiah of the God of Israel. (the Hebrew word for messiah is mashiach (המשיח, messiah), is 'anointed', which refers to a ritual of consecrating someone or something by putting holy oil upon it).
The Torah is the name of the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The word Torah means law, instruction, teaching, Word, writings, and/or commands. The first five books of the Bible are made up of all the instructions God YHVH gave to His people, the Israelites. These instructions were given to them to bless them, benefit them, and guide them in the Way of Elohyim, the word "way" is the Hebrew word דרך (derekh) literally meaning a road or path.
The word observant can mean different things, but in this situation is best defined as to see or recognize something as beneficial and blessed and set apart by Elohyim, and therefore to keep that thing set apart in one’s life and home.
A Torah Observant believer therefore is a believer and follower of Yeshua haMessiah, that believes that the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, have blessing, beneficial, and sacred instructions for life, and therefore they apply those instructions to their own life, and homes as best they can in this day and culture. There are only four really obvious differences between most evangelical Christian and most Torah Observant believers. Most Torah observant believers keep Saturday, the Sabbath day, set apart and often worship on this day instead of Sunday, and they try not to work or cause others to work on it. Most Torah Observant believers celebrate the Biblical feasts for their holidays, as found in Leviticus 23. Most Torah observant adherents don’t eat pork or shellfish or any of the other unclean animals listed in Leviticus 11. Lastly, many Torah Observant believers wear tzit tzit on their clothes as reminder to walk in the Ways of Elohyim, as commanded in Numbers 15.
A Torah observant believer is a person who knows that they are a sinner saved by the gracious love of the Savior (Messiah) Yeshua, through His sacrificial death. They are a believer who knows they do not deserve the forgiveness of a Savior. They love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and choose to walk out their faith in fear and trembling every day, until their Lord and Savior returns.