The meaning of Yisra’El is ‘to overcome with the help of El.’ Abraham was alone when YHWH called him and became the first Hebrew when he followed The Creator’s call to come out of Babylon and leave false worship. “Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, seeking YHWH: Look to the rock you were hewn from, and to the hole of the pit you were dug from. 2“Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you. For he was alone when I called him, and I blessed him and increased him. YeshaYah 51:1-2.

Abraham journeyed and crossed the Yarden River to the land Elohim promised him. The meaning of the word Hebrew is to cross over. The promise was given to Abraham that all the earth would be blessed by his children and his children would become many. Yitshaq was Abraham’s son and Yaacob was Yitshaq’s son who was later named Yisra’El. Yisra’El had twelve sons and the Messiah was promised through the lineage of one of these sons, Yehudah. There is also Gentile (non Yisraelite) blood in the lineage of Messiah.

Yisra’El did not follow Elohim and fell into sin. They were judged by Elohim and went into the Assyrian - Babylonian captivity. The ten northern tribes were assimilated into the populace of the earth and no longer existed as a distinct ethnicity. We read in Hoshea 1:2-4 of the surprising story where YHWH gives instruction to one of His set-apart prophets to marry a whore.

The beginning of the word of YHWH with Hoshea. And YHWH said to Hoshea, “Go, take yourself a woman of whoring and children of whoring, for the land has utterly whored away from YHWH.” 3So he went and took Gomer, daughter of Diblayim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4And YHWH said to him, “Call his name Yizre’el, for in a little while I shall revenge the bloodshed of Yizre’el on the house of Yehu, and put an end to the reign of the house of Yisra’el.

The two southern tribes retained their identity because the Messiah would come from their lineage. Thus said YHWH, “As the New Wine is found in the cluster, and One shall say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a Blessing in it,’ so I do for My Servants’ behalf, not to destroy them all. 9“And I shall bring forth a Seed from Ya’aqob, and from Yehudah an Heir of My mountains. And My chosen ones shall inherit it, and My servants dwell there. YeshaYah 65:8-9. 

There are thorough studies on the restoring of the Two Houses of Yisra’El. The reuniting of Yisra’El is prophesied in many places throughout scripture. The writers of the New Covenant were aware of the dispersion which is a spiritual dispersion as well. Yaaqob 1:1 speaks “to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion” and the Master Himself said “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.” Yohanan 10:16. Yehezeq’El 37 is one fascinating scripture on the subject.

Some within the Hebrew Roots movement believe ‘the letter of the law’ - all 613 commandments, are still in effect today. This idea is against the very teachings of Messiah. Words of Messiah are quoted when He said ‘not one jot or tittle will pass from the law until all be fulfilled.’ Yahshua is the complete offering for our sins. Certain aspects definitely have passed because certain scriptures have been fulfilled.

Yahshua reveals the favour extended by the New Covenant as evidenced by the Two Great Commandments, doing good on Shabbat, eating with sinners, picking grain on Shabbat out of necessity, teaching He desires forgiveness over offering, not stoning the woman caught in adultery, etcetera. There was also a change of Priesthood.  

Messiah ate clean and never taught us that we should eat unclean. Unclean creatures were not considered food. There was a superstition that evil spirits were on fingertips, Matt. 15:10-20, Mark 7:15 and Peter's vision was his calling to preach to the Gentiles. The verses by emissary Sha'ul (Paul) which lead some to believe that eating unclean is permitted was concerning that of meat offered to idols and also to the question of eating meat at all. Read Romans 6, Galations 5:19, Ephesians 5:3, 1Thessalonians 4:7, among others. For any Yisraelite to say it was alright to eat unclean would have caused an outrage. Do not confuse Revelation 2:14,20 with Sha'uls teaching about meat offered to idols, these verses in Revelation deal with eating to the honor of the idol. Eating unclean harms us and this is why our Creator taught us to eat clean.

The seventh day celestial Shabbat was the one given at creation. Yahshua rested on the seventh day and then arose the first day. In Acts 20:7, the first of the week was after Shabbat at sundown. They rested on Shabbat and then gathered at evening time, the beginning of the new week. 

And He said, "You cannot see Me coming, for no man can see Me coming and live." And YHWH said "Stand here on this cliff and while My esteem passes by I will preserve you in the cleft of the Rock, covering with My Hand while I pass. I will then take away My Hand and you shall see Me leaving: but My coming shall you not see." Ex. 33:20