𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞: 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚’𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

Yeshua was not a Christian. He was a 1st century Jewish rabbi teaching Jewish disciples how to teach Torah to the Jew first and then to the Gentile - very much in the style of R' Hillel. The Father sent the Ruach HaKodesh on Shavuot to help us live a Torah Pursuant life. This pursuit of Torah is what Jews and Gentiles are supposed to do. So, for my Jewish friends and family members, you do not have to believe everything written about Yeshua. You don't even have to believe what I write. Nevertheless, I invite you to read on. This is very Jewish.

Yeshua’s life and teachings cannot be separated from the Torah. Everything He did reflected the heart of G-d’s instructions. He didn’t just tell us how to live—He showed us. His life becomes our guide, not just to follow the mitzvot (Instructions) but to draw closer to G-d and reflect His love to others.

𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚’𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡

Yeshua made it clear that He did not come to replace the Torah. He said, “I did not come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). His obedience to the Torah was complete, but it was never cold or mechanical. He kept the Sabbath, celebrated the festivals, and honored G-d through every choice. Yet, His actions were always full of compassion and mercy.

Following Yeshua means looking at how He lived. It means letting His example shape the way we obey G-d. He taught that the greatest commandments are to love G-d with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. Everything else flows from those two. Living a Torah-pursuant life is not about being perfect. It’s about being faithful, step by step, and trusting that G-d’s mitzvot/instructions are good.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭: 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐫

We cannot walk this path on our own. Yeshua knew that, so He promised the Holy Spirit to guide us - like Joseph (Gen. 41:38), Bezalel (Ex. 31:2-3), Moses (Num. 11:16-17, 25-26), Balaam (Num. 24:2) and Joshua (Deut. 34:9). The Spirit helps us understand the Torah and shows us how to live it out. When we stumble, the Spirit reminds us of Yeshua’s teachings and encourages us to keep going.

The Torah can seem like a list of rules, but the Spirit helps us see the heart behind them. The command to keep the Sabbath, for example, teaches us to trust G-d and find joy in resting with Him. With the Spirit’s help, the Torah becomes less about duty and more about drawing closer to G-d.

𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

Yeshua surrounded Himself with disciples, and He taught them the importance of loving one another. He knew we would need each other to stay strong. The Torah-pursuant life grows best when it is lived in community. (You need to attend synagogue.)

Community gives us encouragement and accountability. It becomes a place to learn forgiveness, share burdens, and celebrate victories. Yeshua said, “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). That love becomes the foundation of a community that reflects G-d’s ways. (If your synagogue doesn't demonstrate love, you need to find another synagogue).

𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The Torah was never meant to be a checklist. Yeshua showed us that its real power comes from changing our hearts (Ezk. 11:19-20 and 36:26-27). When He said, “You have heard that it was said... but I tell you” (Matthew 5:21–48), He wasn’t dismissing the Torah. He was revealing its deeper meaning (Ps. 119:18; Isa. 55:8-9; Prov. 25:2). Yeshua took the commandments and showed how they transform us from the inside out (Deut. 30:6; Psa. 51:10-12; Jer. 31:33).

Living this way teaches us to love G-d and others. It teaches us to care for the needy, pursue justice, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8; Isa. 1:17; Psa. 51:17), It also reminds us of our need for Yeshua, who fulfills what we cannot. In Him, we find joy in obeying the Torah because it draws us closer to G-d.

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

This life is not about getting everything right. It’s about being faithful to Yeshua’s teachings and relying on the Holy Spirit. It’s about building communities that reflect G-d’s love and truth.

Start by looking to Yeshua. Study His life and His words. Ask the Spirit for guidance. Walk this path with others who share the same desire to honor G-d. The Torah-pursuant life is not just about rules. It is about becoming the kind of people who bring honor to G-d through every action, one step at a time.

B"H