Not sure if Reform Judaism believes anything beyond the Jewish traditions several of which are misplaced at best. Conservative Judaism does not believe in the covenant. One conservative rabbi once told me that if he were to enter Rabbi school with the belief that the Torah was divine, he would have been kicked out. Could this be the result of following the Talmud rather than the Torah? Orthodox Judaism is dedicated to the Talmud which mostly follows Torah; but discrepancies exist...

The Torah is the contract between YHWH and the children of Israel. While you have the ability to choose to accept or deny the contract, you must recognize the consequences should you choose to deny it. What is left?

Since I have seen many Jewish people seemingly taking the covenant for granted, I decided to look into the signs YHWH has appointed in effort to determine whether or not you are part of YHWH's chosen people. The effort will begin from Exodus Chapter 31 Verse 17 where the Torah says Shabbat will be a sign between Himself and the Children of Israel. The word used for sign in this verse is the hebrew word אוֹת.

The noun אוֹת ('owth) means sign, signal, token, standard, or proof taken from the root word אוֹת ('uwth), a verb meaning to consent or agree. Rather fitting for the subject at hand.
Exodus Chapter 31
15 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to YHWH; whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign (אוֹת) between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.'

Don't ignore the signs!

Rainbow

To promise the inhabitants of Earth never to destroy everyone with flood again, the bow in the sky was a sign from YHWH of the covenant He made with us. Baruch YHWH!

Genesis Chapter 9
8 And God spoke unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying:
9 'As for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
10 and with every living creature that is with you, the fowl, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, even every beast of the earth.
11 And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.'
12 And God said: 'This is the token (אוֹת) of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token (אוֹת) of a covenant between Me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow is seen in the cloud,
15 that I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.'
17 And God said unto Noah: 'This is the token (אוֹת) of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.'



Circumcision

As a sign of the covenant between YHWH and Abraham's seed, a covenant in your flesh for an everlasting covenant that YHWH would be their God.

Genesis Chapter 17
7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.'
9 And God said unto Abraham: 'And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.
10 This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token (אוֹת) of a covenant betwixt Me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed.
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.'



Sending Moses to free the Children of Israel

Sending Moses to free the Children of Israel was a sign to the Children of Israel that YHWH would be there to protect them.

Exodus Chapter 3
7 And YHWH said: 'I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their pains;
8 and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
9 And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me; moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt.'
11 And Moses said unto God: 'Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?'
12 And He said: 'Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token (אוֹת) unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.'



YHWH freeing the Children of Israel from Egypt

Many signs were offered as a sign to both the Pharoah and the Children of Israel that they may believe that YHWH, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

Exodus Chapter 4
1 And Moses answered and said: 'But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say: The lord hath not appeared unto thee.'
2 And YHWH said unto him: 'What is that in thy hand?' And he said: 'A rod.'
3 And He said: 'Cast it on the ground.' And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And YHWH said unto Moses: 'Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail -- and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand --
5 that they may believe that YHWH, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.'
6 And YHWH said furthermore unto him: 'Put now thy hand into thy bosom.' And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.
7 And He said: 'Put thy hand back into thy bosom. -- And he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. --
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign (אוֹת), that they will believe the voice of the latter sign (אוֹת).
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs (אוֹת), neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land; and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.'

Exodus Chapter 7
1 And YHWH said unto Moses: 'See, I have set thee in God's stead to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs (אוֹת) and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
4 But Pharaoh will not hearken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth My hosts, My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, by great judgments.
5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.'

Exodus Chapter 8
17 Else, if thou wilt not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
18 And I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end that thou mayest know that I am YHWH in the midst of the earth.
19 And I will put a division between My people and thy people -- by to-morrow shall this sign (אוֹת) be.'
20 And YHWH did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses; and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the swarms of flies.
21 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said: 'Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.'

Exodus Chapter 10
1 And YHWH said unto Moses: 'Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs (אוֹת) in the midst of them;
2 and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs (אוֹת) which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am YHWH.'
3 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him: 'Thus saith YHWH, the God of the Hebrews: How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before Me? let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Exodus Chapter 12
12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am YHWH.
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token (אוֹת) upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH; throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.



Passover

A sign between the Children of Israel and YHWH that you recognize what YHWH did for you and that you would love YHWH for what he did in Egypt.

Exodus Chapter 13
8 And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: It is because of that which YHWH did for me when I came forth out of Egypt.
9 And it shall be for a signs (אוֹת) unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of YHWH may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath YHWH brought thee out of Egypt.
10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

Exodus Chapter 13
14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying: What is this? that thou shalt say unto him: By strength of hand YHWH brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that YHWH slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to YHWH all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.
16 And it shall be for a sign (אוֹת) upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes; for by strength of hand YHWH brought us forth out of Egypt.'



Remember the Sabbath

Shabbat is a sign between YHWH and the Children of Israel that you recognize YHWH as the creator of all things and that he brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Do not violate the Sabbath. If you can't follow the commandment to rest... what can you follow?

Sabbath is a day of solemn rest, a holy day unto YHWH. It is the seventh day for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore YHWH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it (Ex 20:11).

Rule 1, do no work.
Rule 2, nobody works for you.
Rule 3, do not cook on Shabbat
Rule 4, do not boil on Shabbat.
Rule 5, do not kindle a fire on Shabbat.
Rule 6, do not leave your place (possibly city).
Rule 7, remember YHWH - it is a holy day.

Hakham Meir Rekhavi, and the organizations quoted on http://rekhavi.karaitejudaism.org, are in no way associated with peshat.com and views expressed here; but if asked by him, I will remove this post -- in all due respect....

Hope Hakham Meir Rekhavi does not mind my cross posting this here. My apologies if he does. I am sure I will reference this over and over for personal use. I will not make a habit of cross posting.

Baruch YHWH
Benjamin
>From: Meir Rekhavi
>Subject: Re: [karaites] what is forbidden on Shabbat?
>
>Shalom All,
>
>Concerning that which is forbidden on the Shabbath, the
>Tora delineates certain activities that are forbidden to be
>undertaken on the Shabbath. A thorough reading of the
>Miqra will reveal to us some of these activities, these are:
>
>1) Cooking and preparing food (Ex. 16:23)
>2) Collecting objects outside and going outside to
>undertake everyday tasks. (Ex. 16:25-30 and
>Num. 15:32-36)
>3) Leaving the domain (Ex. 16:29)
>4) The Shabbath has to be kept even if the task underhand
>is a task dedicated to YHWH (Ex. 31:12-17)
>5) Ploughing and Harvesting (Ex. 34:21)
>6) The verse that mentions "Ploughing and Harvesting"
>(Ex. 34:21) also has the sense that even if a great personal
>or financial loss will come about from keeping the
>Shabbath, the Shabbath has to be kept no matter
>how imperative a thing may seem to be.
>7) Burning a fire (Ex. 35:3)
>8 ) Carrying heavy objects in a public domain, carrying
>heavy objects from a private domain into a public domain
>(even if not to the market) (Num 4:3 and Jer. 17:21-27)
>9) Going anywhere related to profit or work (e.g. walking
>to work before the end of the Shabbath in order to be
>there when the Shabbath ends) (Isa. 58:13-14)
>10) Discussing financial, business, or work-related
>matters, and making weekday plans (Isa. 58:13-1)
>11) Buying and Selling (Amos 8:5 and Neh. 10:32)
>12) Treading wine presses (Neh. 13:15)
>13) Storing grain (Neh. 13:15)
>14) Loading and unloading produce and burdens
>(Neh. 13:15)
>15) Bringing produce to the market (Neh. 13:15-22)
>
>Apart from the above list of activities the Tora also
>commands that we may not perform any sort of
>melakha on the Shabbath, "you shall not do any
>melakha" (Ex. 20:10). The Tora uses the word melakha
>without distinction, therefore all forms of melakha are
>forbidden on the Shabbath.
>
>But what exactly is melakha? When our ancestors stood
>at Mt. Sinai the definition and meaning of the word
>melakha would not have perplexed them, since for
>them Biblical Hebrew was a living language. However,
>the Hebrew language ceased to be spoken as the daily
>language of the Children of Yisrael sometime during the
>long centuries of the Galuth [Exile, Diaspora].
>Nevertheless, we too can understand the meaning of
>the word melakha by using the exegetical device of
>Peshat (plain meaning) by which we can draw on the
>context of the word as found in various passages
>throughout the Miqra.
>
>In order for us to arrive at a greater understanding as
>to the meaning of the word melakha it is vital that we
>thoroughly search the Miqra whilst making a list
>consisting of where in the Miqra the word melakha
>appears and the context in which it is written. Such a
>list will inevitably be an indispensable tool in helping
>us to determine the true meaning of the word melakha.
>Once such a list has been drawn up we can then
>analyze the various passages in which the word
>melakha is found, placing it within its context, thus
>enabling us to establish its correct etymological usage.
>The word melakha appears 167 times in the Miqra,
>consequently providing us with plenty of scope to
>determine its correct etymological usage.
>
>Once we have patiently studied the relevant passages
>we will come to the conclusion from the evidence
>provided that the word melakha has the connotation
>of workmanship, occupation (see Jonah 1:8 &
>1 Chron. 9:33), business activities, and constructive
>or creative work as in:
>
>a.. God in creation (Gen. 2:2-3)
>b.. Travelling (Gen. 33:14)
>c.. Business of steward and household servant
>(Gen. 39:11)
>d.. Cooking and preparing food (Ex. 12:16)
>e.. Making designs; metal work including precious
>metals; cutting stones including cutting, polishing
>and setting gem stones; and carving wood
>(Ex. 31:4-5, 35:31-32; 1 Chron. 29:5)
>f.. The work of a jeweller (Ex. 31:4-5; Ezek. 28:13)
>g.. Carpentry (Ex. 31:5; 2 Kings 22:5-6;
>2 Chron. 24:12-13)
>h.. Making the Mishkan [Tabernacle] and its
>furniture (Ex. 35:21, 36:8, 39:43)
>i.. Embroidery, weaving and working with cloth
>(Ex. 35:35; Lev. 11:32)
>j.. Engraving (Ex. 35:35; 1 Chron. 29:5)
>k.. Erecting an enclosure or fence (Ex. 40:33)
>l.. Leather-work (Lev. 11:32, 13:48 )
>m.. Carrying burdens and labouring
>(Num. 4:3; Neh. 4:5,11)
>n.. Building (2 Kings 12:12; Neh. 4:5;
>2 Chron. 16:5)
>o.. Masonry work (2 Kings 12:12)
>p.. Work of a potter (Jer. 18:3; 1 Chron. 4:23)
>q.. Preparing for and going on an offensive military
>campaign (Jer. 50:25)
>r.. Public business and community matters
>(Ez. 10:13)
>s.. Work of seamen (Psalm 107:23)
>t.. Political activity, the work of a civil servant
>and the affairs of state in general (Est. 3:9, 9:31;
>Dan. 8:27; 1 Chron. 4:23, 29:6)
>u.. Work in the field, agricultural work
>(1 Chron. 4:23, 27:26)
>v.. To hew stone or wood (1 Chron. 22:15)
>w.. The functions of court officials and Judges
>(1 Chron. 26:29)
>
>Consequently, on the Shabbath it is strictly
>forbidden to carry out anyone of the above
>activities. As pointed out above, the Tora stresses
>"any melakha" (Ex. 20:10) consequently all forms of
>melakha, and not just certain forms, cannot be
>performed on the Shabbath. In addition the phrase
>"any melakha" is not synonymous to "your melakha",
>as some would believe, in other words one is
>strictly forbidden to perform melakha on the
>Shabbath, whether it is one's profession or not.
>
>May Yihweh be with you,
>Hakham Meir



Repeated twice, in two different ways, Ye shall keep the sabbath -- which places great emphasis on the statement itself.

"that soul shall be cut off from among his people" means "he shall surely be put to death"
Exodus Chapter 31
12 And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying:
13 'Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying: Verily ye shall keep My sabbaths, for it is a sign (אוֹת) between Me and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am YHWH who sanctify you.
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you; every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to YHWH; whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign (אוֹת) between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.'


http://lunarsabbath.info/id18.html
Josephus on how the Essenes:
Wars of the Jews 2:147 ... "Moreover, they are stricter than any other of the Jews in resting from their labors on the seventh day; for they not only get their food ready the day before, that they may not be obliged to kindle a fire on that day, but they will not move any vessel out of its place, nor go to stool thereon."

The Dead Sea Scrolls combine both reasons for remembering the Sabbath.
http://www.sdnhm.org/scrolls/description_2.html
This text of the Ten Commandments is longer than traditional translations and reflects both biblical versions of the Sabbath commandment (Exodus 20:11 and Deuteronomy 5:11). This law instructs the Israelites not to work on the Sabbath to remember their rescue from slavery in Egypt and God's resting on the 7th day of creation. Many people practice this tradition of rest today.

You don't work on shabbat. Not you or your servants or your animals... see article The Shabbat Goy from this forum.
Exodus Chapter 20
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;
10 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto YHWH thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates;
11 for in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore YHWH blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Exodus Chapter 23
12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest; that thine ox and thine ass may have rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Deuteronomy Chapter 5
12 Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as YHWH thy God commanded thee.
13 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work;
14 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto YHWH thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou.
15 And thou shalt remember that thou was a servant in the land of Egypt, and YHWH thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore YHWH thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.



Children of Israel ignoring YHWH's signs

The result is they are denied entry into the land of Israel.

Numbers Chapter 14
11 And YHWH said unto Moses: 'How long will this people despise Me? and how long will they not believe in Me, for all the signs (אוֹת) which I have wrought among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and destroy them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.'
13 And Moses said unto YHWH: 'When the Egyptians shall hear -- for Thou broughtest up this people in Thy might from among them --
14 they will say to the inhabitants of this land, who have heard that Thou YHWH art in the midst of this people; inasmuch as Thou YHWH art seen face to face, and Thy cloud standeth over them, and Thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night;
15 now if Thou shalt kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of Thee will speak, saying:
16 Because YHWH was not able to bring this people into the land which He swore unto them, therefore He hath slain them in the wilderness.
17 And now, I pray Thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying:
18 YHWH is slow to anger, and plenteous in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
19 Pardon, I pray Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy lovingkindness, and according as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.'
20 And YHWH said: 'I have pardoned according to thy word'
21 But in very deed, as I live -- and all the earth shall be filled with the glory of YHWH --
22 surely all those men that have seen My glory, and My signs (אוֹת), which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to proof these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice;
23 surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised Me see it.



Rebelling against YHWH

A sign that you should be very careful to follow the commandments of YHWH.

Numbers Chapter 16
30 But if YHWH make a new thing, and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have despised YHWH.'
31 And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder that was under them.
32 And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit; and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them; for they said: 'Lest the earth swallow us up.'
35 And fire came forth from YHWH, and devoured the two hundred and fifty men that offered the incense.

Numbers Chapter 17
1 And YHWH spoke unto Moses, saying:
2 'Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the fire-pans out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are become holy;
3 even the fire-pans of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar -- for they are become holy, because they were offered before YHWH -- that they may be a sign unto the children of Israel.'
4 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen fire-pans, which they that were burnt had offered; and they beat them out for a covering of the altar,
5 to be a memorial (אוֹת) unto the children of Israel, to the end that no common man, that is not of the seed of Aaron, draw near to burn incense before YHWH; that he fare not as Korah, and as his company; as YHWH spoke unto him by the hand of Moses.