How to live the Torah?

This is something I've been thinking about for a while now and I don't have an answer. I keep wondering am I doing all I can do to live a life that shows the Torah? How do we live our lives and show that we are trying to follow G-D? I so want to please Him and do the right things, but being human I always fall short. I sometimes feel that I will never do the right things. So I've been wondering how do we live the Torah? How do you all do it? Being by my self, and coming out of the COG, I don't think I really keep the Shabbot as I should. It's really hard if you are alone,no one to talk to or discuss things with. Families want to be with their familes and single people are mostly left out. So on Friday evening, I usually watch one of my religous movies and try hard to remember that it is the beginning of the Shabbot. But maybe that is the wrong way to do it. If the weather is good, I also like to sit out on my deck and watch the sun set, but that only last for a while and then its back inside. So how do you all do it? How do you live the Torah every day of you're live? I would love to get you're feedback so that I can do it better. Thanks all

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Permalink Reply by Sherry Cole on July 23, 2009 at 8:51pm

Hey Nancy, I can totally relate to what you are saying. I'm relatively new to keeping Shabbot and am "winging it" so to speak.I usually light candles and say a prayer welcoming in Shabbot, but not before a flurry of activity - trying to clean up or do last minute tasks before dusk on Friday. Maddie usually bakes challah during the day while Dave and I are at work. Then on Saturday we head to St. Francisville for the Torah study.(I hope you can listen in and join us - it's a great way to discuss things) I am at the stage where anything I can do to make Shabbot meaningful for me seems to work. Just to tell myself it's OK to stop - (working, thinking about work,the cares of this world, etc.),rest and focus on my heavenly Father is a big step for me.I think many of us are at different stages of learning and it seems to me that it should be a natural progression at our "own pace".I'm sure there are many in the SWW that are far more advanced than I am in keeping Shabbot - I'm just happy Hashem has opened my eyes and put my feet on the ancient path that leads to the good way.
Love and blessings,
Sherry Cole

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Permalink Reply by Mary Vaught Kline on July 23, 2009 at 11:44pm

I have had a year where I have also felt like I have been drifting away from HaShem. My husband had a stroke 11 months ago. I have been housebound, while caring for Him. But the Sabbath is my best time of the week. I try to get the house clean, food cooked, and all of that on friday. Since I am alone on friday night I light candles, you can go through the Artscroll Siddur. I can spend a lot of time meditating on the Sabbath Eve Kiddush. It gives me a sense of community to know that I am chanting reading ancient prayers that others all over the area where I live are also reading.meditating on. It is a good time to study the weekly Torah portion. I have Kiddush and a nice meal. I make Challah just for myself. I have Sabbath dishes, white tablecloth, napkins, I still make it special. Where I fall short is studying. I have watched the SWW on Sabbath the last three weeks. It has been excellent.There was a time when I liked to study but not lately. Mary

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Permalink Reply by Melanie Carroll on September 6, 2009 at 4:42pm

Hi Nancy and all,

Interesting discussion and this is just a quick comment from me (after a long absence -thanks for the poke Dave should you read this) but I have to concede that I am not a Torah observant person because I dont/cant observe Shabbot as I work on a Saturday and avoiding this is just not possible -ok and there's an excuse cause truth is I could choose not to work it but only at the loss of my livelihood - so there we go thats the truth, i do not keep Torah as I fail to put my faith and reliance fully on HaShem, or more appropriately I do not keep the Shabbat which is of course a key part of Torah Law. I here put forward a proposition which though I know will not be accepted by James and probably by Ross and many others, but I feel I do my best to be Torah observant by working my week monday to saturday - 6 days and then on Sunday which I accept is not the Shabbat in terms of how HaShem arranged the week, I do my best to keep the concept of Seventh Day! From when I get home on Saturday night I relax and rest (and beleive me I really do - I am quite content to stay in bed for as long as I possibly can!), I graze through the day rather than cooking a sunday lunch and I don't wander far from home - mostly the back garden. I read, think, pray. and then Sunday night after 7pm I have my main meal of the day and start prepping for my week at work. So not Torah Observant but Torah Trying perhaps?
I ackowledge my faults, I ackowledge my faithlessnes - but my eternal hope is that HaShem considers our hearts and is filled with everlasting mercy for those of us less than perfect but still trying in some small way.
For me if the Torah which forms the basis of my life teaches anything it is that HaShem realises we are less than perfect and is endlessly forgiving although being strictly judging if we fail completely - but the fact that we are having this discussion surely means we are trying - and the thing to remember as well I think is that we may be sojourners in a strange land and though called to partake and observe as best we can, we are not expected to be as the natural citizens in all ways, exception is made for the foreigner until they have absorbed the lessons and culture, at which point they become in some way a naturalized. or at least thats my hope and I think it is stated somewhat in the Tanakh as well.
Hope that makes sense and yes feel free to call me on it if you think I am just justifying my wrong to appease my guilt ;0)
The only thing I think I want to say is that being Torah observant is a lot more than just observing the Shabbat - otherwise the Torah would be a lot shorter than it is ;0)

Ok that's me done - as ever my ususal disclaimers apply - yes you can disagree with me and kick me into touch, I say nothing intended to offend and i'm just as likely to be wrong as right, just trying to share and learn with the best of them.