Are we to live by law or faith

The basic word in the Torah for commandment is mitzvah מצוה ,but what does mitzvah really mean?

What does mitzvah mean? (From Chabad.org)

“In common usage, a mitzvah often means “a good deed”—as in “Do a mitzvah and help Mrs. Goldstein with her packages.” This usage is quite old—the Jerusalem Talmud commonly refers to any charitable act as “the mitzvah.”

Often the word mitzvah is related to the Aramaic word tzavta,2 meaning to attach or join. Tzavta can mean companionship3 or personal attachment.4 In this sense, a mitzvah bundles up the person who is commanded and the Commander, creating a relationship and essential bond.5“

So mitzvah really means connection in the deeper sense and the so called covenant of law was a covenant of faith.

If we remember the aseret ha-dibarot or the Ten Commandments, the first four all deal with faith not law

1.Do not worship the gods of other nations before me (the Lord)

2.Do not portray me (the Lord) in a statue or image/picture

3.Do not curse the Holy name

4.Remember Shabat/Sabbath

And the in 5-10 it deals with the do’s and don’t of treating people but the first four are about respect for God himself.So Gods covenant with Israel was a covenant of faith and also law but law and faith are inter connected.To follow the law is a sign of faith and those will faith will keep the law if they know it or not.

Does the New Covenant due away with the Torah?Here is Romans 3:30-31

” ³⁰ Since God is One, He will set right the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then nullify the Torah through faithfulness? May it never be! On the contrary, we uphold the Torah.”

I guess what God is saying through Paul is that the Jews will be made righteous through faith and the gentiles by faith but the Torah will stand forever.Here it also says faith and the Torah are inter connected and another thing is that the word Torah does not really mean law per say.The word Torah comes from the word yarah meaning shooting like an archer ,so Torah really means “teaching”!

In certain sect of Hasidic Judaism the wearing of peyot(side locks) is a symbol of enthusiasm of faith for the Torah only says not to shave the sides of ones head.So by not even cutting the sides of the head with scissors hence leaving long locks on the side of the head was meant to signify going above the call of duty.

Here is what the prophet of Tanakh has to say on this matter ,Chavakuk(Habakkuk) 2:4

הִנֵּ֣ה עֻפְּלָ֔ה לֹא־יָֽשְׁרָ֥ה נַפְשׁ֖וֹ בּ֑וֹ וְצַדִּ֖יק בֶּֽאֱמוּנָת֥וֹ יִחְיֶֽה:

“See here the wonderous one in him an unstraightened soul,the righteous live by faith”

Here is the King James version ,says the same thing:

⁴ Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9

⁸ “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God. ⁹ It is not based on deeds, so that no one may boast” (Tree of Life version)

This is not saying that the Torah is done away with and that good works do not matter but that salvation from the second death is by faith alone,our peace with God is by faith.But works are still good and a fruit of faith and you can have a better life in this world and the “ha olam haba” (the next life) by good works but salvation is by faith!

Romans 1:16 (Tree of Life)

16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 In it the righteousness of God is revealed, from trust to trust.[b] As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by emunah.”(emunah means faith)

Galatians 2:16

“¹⁶ Yet we know that a person is set right not by deeds based on Torah, but rather through putting trust in Messiah Yeshua“