ABOUT Torah Ministry

ABOUT Torah is a Torah Observant, Messianic, and Hebrew Roots, association dedicated to training individuals for the purpose of igniting the flame of Torah in a world of darkness.

The Need

ABOUT-Torah is an acronym for, Association of Believers Observing, Understanding and Teaching Torah. Our goal is to be a Torah Observant teaching institution, that is dedicated to train Messianic individuals in the spiritual importance of living a Torah observant life. We understand that to be spiritually complete followers of Yeshua, Messianic Jewish and Messianic non-Jewish individuals need to lead a life serving HaShem in Spirit and in Truth. Therefore it is essential that all believers need to embrace the Ruach HaKodesh and walk in obedience to the Torah. Only when this goal is accomplished can HaShem be worshiped the way that Yeshua commands in John 4:22-23 which states "you worship what you have not known; we worship what we have known, because the salvation is of the Jews; but, there cometh an hour, and it now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also doth seek such to worship him;"

The Call:

"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make students of all the nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you."(Matthew 28:18-20).

The vision:

The vision is of a school where those of all backgrounds can come together to learn how to be students, not of academia, but students of Messiah Yeshua. We are all called to be imitators of Messiah Yeshua. Therefore, it is our duty to learn, how to live a holy life and worship the Messiah through the Torah.

The Students

The education students receive at ABOUT Torah is committed to furnishing the resources necessary in training Messianic Jewish and non-Jewish believers in how to live a spirit filled messianic lifestyle that is Torah Observant. As a result, ABOU Torah students are given the resources necessary to fulfill Ephesians 4:12-13 which states "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Messiah: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah"

The Hope

We hope that the newly observant as well as the experienced Torah Observant Messianic Jewish and non-Jewish Community, will find these teachings helpful in the struggle to embrace the Torah observant life.

The Tools

Some of the teachings available from About Torah are public. A comprehensive list of teachings publicly accessible from the Internet can be found on the Teachings Index page.

The school section of the ABOUT Torah web site contains teachings for our students only. These teachings are only accessible after enrolment and a password is issued. Here is the link for more information on the Torah School.

The Goal

Students who know the riches, glory, and hope of HaShem’s calling as Ephesians 1:18 states “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his people”.

The links

This web site has both internal and external links. The external links are not directly controlled by ABOUT Torah. Therefore, the external links are added to only assist visitors in the pursuit of knowledge. When you follow an external link the theology expressed on the external web site may not be in total agreement with the views of ABOUT Torah.

The Guest Book

If you would like to record your comments and let us know about your experience while visiting this site please sign our Guest book.

Recognition Of ABOUT Torah

ABOUT Torah Class Information

The Purpose

ABOUT Torah Online Midrash is a Torah Observant, Messianic Jewish, and Hebrew Roots, association dedicated to training individuals for the purpose of igniting the flame of Torah in a world of darkness.

The Statement of faith

• We Believe that Adonai is our G-d. He is one G-d. He alone is G-d; that He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

• We Believe that G-d is holy and eternal in His complexity; that He has all knowledge and all understanding; that He has always and will always be the same.

• We Believe that the Holy Scripture is the inspired Word of G-d; that Scripture is composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

• We Believe that Yeshua of Natzaret is fully deity; that Yeshua came to mankind fully in the flesh and at the same time retained His deity; that Yeshua died, and rose again to ascend to the right hand of G-d.

• We Believe that Yeshua is the Messiah; that He has fulfilled and will fulfill prophecies by taking upon Himself the punishment for the sins of those who call on His name.

• We Believe that the Ruach HaKodesh (the Spirit of the Holy One) indwells all believers for the purpose of training and strengthening; that certain powers for the edification of believers and nonbelievers are given according to G-d's divine will and pleasure.

• We Believe that it pleases G-d for all believers to live according to His commandments in order to live a holy and righteous lifestyle out of their love for Him.

The Class Information

The ABOUT Torah class schedules allow students to work full time and still complete a full schedule of classes. There will be five eight-week sessions each year which is arranged around the Holy Days as prescribed in Leviticus 23. Each full time student will have three classes

The On-line classes are conducted through the internet teaching branch of Ruach V'Emet. The on-line classes are geared for the self motivated student who can not attend classes on site.

The privacy of our students is our foremost concern, therefore many parts of this site are password protected. However, once you are admitted you'll be issued a password, which will allow you to access all the site.

Session Start Dates:

*Subject to available teachers, and sufficient enrollment.

For those students that wish to seek certification, Bible Scholarship, and traditional studies classes that are not available as a result of instructor shortages, will be waived. However, if the classes are deemed essential for a well rounded education, they may be scheduled for special arrangement after completion of the three required core classes. Also be aware there is a minimum requirement of at least three classes per session, for any student who desires to be considered a full time student.

Classes listed are for the Bible Scholarship and traditional certifications only. They are typical of the type and format of the classes in the remaining certification programs. However, each level of certification requires completion of the previous years certification as a prerequisite. Classes may also be taken individually for students not seeking certification. Contact the enrollment department to schedule classes to be taken individually.

Bible Scholarship	1 year completion
Traditional Studies	2 year completion
Leadership	3 year completion
Rabbinic Studies*	4 year completion

* Upon completion of Rabbinic Studies, the student must seek ordination, and meet the ordination requirements of the OMJRA. For a list of the ordination requirements contact the

The Instructor Profile

Rabbi Yaakov benYosef:

Rabbi Yaakov is the Rosh Yeshiva, and president of ABOUT Torah and The Ruach V'Emet Research Institute. After studying under an observant Messianic rabbi he was given semikha on March 12, 1998 by the OMJRA. Currently Rabbi Yaakov's ordination papers are currently on file with the OMJRA. Rabbi Yaakov graduated with honors and holds degrees in computer science, and social and behavioral science. His specialty is studying the historical social impact of religious belief. Rabbi Yaakov’s research emphasis is the study of ancient society during the time of Yeshua. In addition to his teaching and administrative duties with Ruach V'Emet, Rabbi Yaakov currently serves as the Vice President of the OMJRA.

Hava benYosef:

Currently Hava has done work on a masters degree in Ancient History at the University of Oklahoma. The emphasis of this work in ancient history focused on Hebrew and Aramaic. She is also involved in the development of a translation of The Targum of Proverbs from Aramaic. She is the instructor for Biblical Hebrew.

Rabbi Yehoshua M. Othniel:

Rabbi Othniel has been involved with the Messianic Movement for over 12years. After a lengthy period of study under various rabbis, both traditional and Messianic, Rabbi Othniel received semikha in 1993. Copies of the Rabbis' ordination papers are currently on file with the OMJRA. Rabbi Othniel holds a masters degree. He is a published author and lecturer and the founder of the Biblical Studies Institute of Independence, Kansas. Rabbi Othniel currently serves as the Nasi (President) of the OMJRA. He is also the Executive Administrator for Sha'ari Torah Yeshiva, a Hebrew day school, grades K-12. Rabbi Othniel is the spiritual leader of Kehilat Ami Echad synagogue of Independence, Kansas and he is the Alter Rebbe of the HaM'kablim Yisroel community.

The Admission

Admission is open to everyone. However in this type of learning environment, it is critical that students keep an open mind, and desire to seek the truth, rather than hold onto doctrinal beliefs.

Enrollment:
For expedited enrollment and admission please complete the form on this web page.

Like any ministry ABOUT Torah has expenses. The five major categories of expense are: publication, instructor procurement, technology, domain registration and server time. You can support the school by filling out the admission form and taking some classes.

Tuition Payment

Like most things in this world, there are expenses associated with producing high quality newsletters, publications, classes, and maintaining an Internet presence. However, ABOUT Torah is not 501-C3 nonprofit organization. Because we have not sought government approval as a nonprofit religious organization we do not accept donations. ABOUT Torah is an on-line religious school. Any payments for tuition or any other items on this site are considered as payments for service rendered. Therefore, the quality of training material we publish for our students is a direct reflection on the quality of education we offer.

To enroll complete the admission form. When the admission form is submitted you will be redirected to the payment shopping cart. You can than use the shopping cart to select the classes you want and to pay your tuition.

If you are seeking ordination follow the link before completing the form. ORDINATION

Security Code To Enter:
(required) Enter Security Code:
(required) Current Date:
(required) Date of Birth:
(required) Full Name:
Hebrew Name (if different):
(required) Email Address:
(required) Country of Citizenship:
(required) Religious Affiliation:
(required) Marital Status:
(required) Classes you are going to enroll in.
When ready to take classes click Submit.

If you prefer to send a check

• The tuition for new students per class is $40.00 USD..
• With this method prospective students pay using a check or standard postal money order. For more information on this payment option send an email asking for instructions to the tuition email in this section.

Discounted Tuition

For Example, students paying the whole tuition 1 year in advance, and family or group discounts.

• If you are requesting a group discount, in the email include the number of people in your group. These discounts are proportional to the size of your group

Use the following email link to ask about paying with a check, money order, or group discount.

Messianic Jewish Shul and Research Institute for ABOUT Torah.

Ruach V'Emet is the messianic shul and research institute that is the home of the ABOUT-Torah online Beit Midrash. Ruach V'Emet has two primary desires.

1. The first desire is to bring messianic Jews and non-Jews together for the weekly Shabbat, with the purpose of implementing the practices started by the first century messianic movement.
2. The second desire is to understand and teach individuals about the first century messianic Jewish and non-Jewish movements through researching biblical, traditional and historical texts.

The combination of biblical, traditional and historical sources, united with the desire to implement the practices started by the first century messianic movement make the Ruach V'Emet worship experience unique.

What The Ruach V'Emet Research Institute Currently Offers:

The Ruach V'Emet research institute offers a free research service for ABOUT Torah students. The research program is available to any student who requests research on a specific biblical topic. However, due to time and material constraints each research topic is reviewed to determine if the library has the appropriate resources and staff to conduct the research project. When the library has the resources and staff are available the student than completes a formal research request. When the research request is submitted all of the relevant materials are compiled and returned to the student. The student than uses the material to write an APA collegiate quality paper citing the sources and giving credit to the authors.

The Ruach V'Emet Research Project:

As the Ruach V'Emet research institute expands it is our hope to offer a fee research service for all visitors. The fee service will make it possible for all interested individuals to research the foundation of the early Torah Observant Messianic Movement. To determine how much interest might be generated in research relating to the Hebrew Roots and Messianic Jewish roots of the first century we have included a prototype research form as part of this page

Torah Observant Research Request Page.

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Historical research is one of the best tools available to understand the culture and the lifestyle of the Torah Observant Believer during Yeshua's life. To empower our visitors with this understanding ABOUT Torah maintains the Ruach V'Emet research project .

To Submit a topic concerning the history of the Torah Observant Jewish and Messianic Movement in the first century complete the following form:Torah Observant Research Request Page.

Community

This section is dedicated to the community in general. Therefore, in this section these teachings generally cover topics that are of importance to the whole messianic community. You will also find links to a calendar, chat room and a world wide messianic congregational database. We hope to continue expanding the database until it becomes one of the premier congregational listings on the internet.

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Teachings

Discovery of the truth only occurs when we ask ourselves the tough questions. For example when did Sunday replace the 7th day Sabbath, or was a Torah Observant belief system replaced by a non-Torah Observant belief system. Blindly following a belief system without first asking these questions, can lead us to surrender our our will to individuals proclaiming false doctrines. In other words, blindly following someone else can lead to acceptance of a lie.

This section is dedicated to those few individuals who begin asking the tough questions. The teachings in this section are specifically designed to give individuals a starting point. Therefore, these teachings are designed to lightly introduce individuals to these topics. The scriptural concepts addressed here, will hopefully bring the reader to a point where he or she can embrace the Torah and start living the Torah Observant life.

Torah Portions

Shaleeakh is a weekly publication totally dedicated to informing and teaching the Torah observant believer by using the weekly Parashot.

The Goals of the weekly Parashot:

1. Shaleeakh is a designed to inform, encourage and present the weekly parashah from a messianic perspective.
2. Shaleeakh is committed to the academic study of God's word. This means that the publication publishes articles that have historical and theological significance to understanding the Torah.
3. Shaleeakh will not be a Forum for debate or discrediting of the Torah. The staff at ABOUT Torah recognize the validity of the Torah.
4. Shaleeakh is committed to teaching believers how to walk in the Torah.

The mission of this publication is to further public interest in the study of Torah as well as all Scripture, and to increase understanding in light of Yeshua's (Jesus') Jewish background.

To read and print the archives download the free Adobe Reader!

If you would like to receive the weekly Torah Portions please join our mailing list. Go to the email page and Subscribe

Torah Parashot And Reading Dates

Shabbat

One of the first questions that I'm often asked is when did Sunday replace the 7th day Sabbath. When I answer the question people are often amazed that the answer does not match what they have been taught. The person is totally shocked to discover that there is no commandment in the scriptures that mandates replacing the seventh day Sabbath with Sunday. In fact, the two scriptures that most people use to prove the case for Sunday are Mathew 28:1 and Acts 20:7. more...

Yom Teruah

To observe the beginning of a new month, the Yisraelites would celebrate the new moon. However, although the new moon was set aside to mark the beginning of a new month most new moons were not considered Holy. The Torah only sanctifies one new moon as Holy. This Holy new moon occurs on the first day of the seventh month as Vayikra 23:23-25 states more...

Sukkot

Prophetically speaking, Sukkot is more significant than then the other feasts. In the future, it will be mandatory for all the nations that war against Yerushalayim to go to Yerushalayim during the festival of Sukkot to worship the King. more...

The Torah Standard of the The Sighted New Moon

Rosh Hodesh (literally: head of the month) is important as the observable guide to the changing of the months and the seasons. The first month of each biblical year falls on the first New Moon after green Barley (aviv) has been found this usually occurs around the time of the vernal equinox. All of the biblical feasts are dated from this date. more...

The Importance of Sighting the Aviv

Keeping the feast of Passover marks the first appointed time in the Torah observant believer's year. The Torah states very plainly in Deut. 16:1 when Passover is to be kept: "observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night[i]". According to this passage we must keep the feast of Passover in the month of Abib. To determine the exact date of this crucial month we must first come to an understanding what Abib is, and what is required. more...

“Adar 2 and the Importance of Aviv”

To clarify the issue of adding Adar 2, it is crucial to note that the first new moon after the aviv is sighted is declared as the new moon of aviv. Therefore, even when aviv is found before the vernal equinox the month of aviv most likely starts on the new moon after the vernal equinox. This is because when aviv is found before the vernal equinox aviv has only been found a few days before the vernal equinox. Therefore, 99% of the time the first new moon after the vernal equinox is the new moon that starts the New Year. As a result, it makes it appear that the new moon that starts the first month of the biblical year is determined by the vernal equinox. more...

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News Letter Archives

1. JULY 1999
2. AUGUST 1999
3. APRIL 2002
4. JUNE 2002
5. MARCH 2003
6. JUNE 2003
7. OCTOBER 2003