“Teach me, O YHWH, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.  Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea I shall observe it with my whole heart.” (Psalm 119:33-34)

In the Garden of Eden Adam and Havah disregarded the wisdom and commandment of the Creator and ate of the fruit of the forbidden Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  As promised by the serpent, their eyes were opened and they became their own elohim.  In other words, they became their own authority.  Prior to the fall, Adam and Havah lived by the pure revelation knowledge they received from the Spirit of the Creator.  Once their eyes were opened, however, they began mixing their own sensually gained knowledge with the spiritually received revelation knowledge.  Adam and Havah judged for themselves what they felt was best for them.  So we see that at the fall of Adam and Havah their “reason” was activated.  Unfortunately, their reason was no longer motivated and informed by the Spirit but by their own fleshly senses.    From that time until now, most of us have become predominately sensual beings.  Our flesh dominates over our spirit.  The pathetic result is that we live by our own thoughts and words rather than those of the Creator.    Our human reason is a fallen reason.   This is what cause Shaul to write,

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Yeshua likewise taught,

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)

And again,

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

“Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6)

Clearly we will never keep the commandments of YHWH by reason of our own understanding and intellect.  When we hear the Torah with our carnal ears the words sound harsh and oppressive.  We hear only the restrictions, the threats, the curses.  When we attempt to keep the Torah by reason of our flesh–we are like the children of Israel at Mara drinking the bitter waters and complaining (Exodus 15).

If we are to keep the Torah–then we must be taught and convicted by the Spirit.  Only when the Spirit of the Creator writes the Torah upon our hearts will we genuinely keep the Torah in the spirit in which it was intended.  This is the very purpose of the Spirit.

“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27)

Yeshua confirms this promise and reality.

“And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

“But the Comforter, which is the Spirit of the Holy One, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John 15:26)

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now, howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:12-13)

We may study and study the Torah every day for hours.  We may listen to the very best and wisest Torah teachers and Biblical Scholars, we may read the most in-depth commentaries, both modern and ancient, and still not understand the Torah–or live it out. Unless the Spirit of the Creator be our teacher surely we study in vain.  Therefore before we even open the scriptures to read–we should pray that the Spirit of Messiah instruct us, guide us, and inlighten us to his truth.  Study without prayer is fruitless study.

I am not suggesting that we give up our practical and reasonable study of the scripture.  We should dedicate every faculty that the Creator has endowed us with to seek out his truth.  However, unless, we approach the scriptures prayerfully, asking that the Spirit be our light and our guide, all that we learn will serve merely to “puff up” our egos, fuel fires of contention with our brethren, and further divide the body of the Messiah.  Instead, we should pray with the psalmist, that the Spirit of the Holy One teach us–that we may have genuine understanding, and that we may keep the Torah as YHWH intended.