Maybe the answer lies in a place we often overlook: Zion.
Midrash Tehillim, a fascinating exploration of the Book of Psalms, asks a powerful question: “Who will give from Zion the salvation of Israel?” It’s a verse that appears twice in Psalms, and the rabbis unpack why Zion is so central to our well-being.
Rabbi Levi paints a vivid picture: all blessings, comforts, and goodness flow from Zion. Think of it as the source, the wellspring. Torah itself originates from Zion, as Isaiah 2:3 proclaims: "For out of Zion shall go forth the law." Blessing? Psalm 134:3 tells us: "May the Lord bless you out of Zion." Even God’s very appearance, His beauty and perfection, emanates from there: "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appears" (Psalm 50:2).
And it doesn't stop there. Support in times of need? "May the Lord support you from Zion" (Psalm 20:3). Life itself? "For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forevermore" (Psalm 133:3). Greatness? "The Lord is great in Zion" (Psalm 99:2). And of course, salvation, that ultimate yearning, also comes "from Zion" (Psalm 14:7).
But why does this verse, "Who will give from Zion the salvation of Israel?" appear twice in the Book of Psalms? That's where things get even more interesting. Rabbi Levi explains that it reflects two unfulfilled desires. The Master longed, "Would that this heart of theirs were in them" (Deuteronomy 5:26), expressing a wish for genuine inner transformation. The disciple, in turn, yearned, "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets" (Numbers 11:29), hoping for universal spiritual insight.
Neither wish is fully realized in this world, but both, according to the Midrash, will find fulfillment in the world to come. The Master's wish will be granted, as Ezekiel 36:26 promises: "And I will give you a new heart." And the disciple's dream? It echoes in Joel 2:28: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh."
Another explanation, offered by Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, connects the repetition to our daily prayers. Children, twice a day, morning and evening, plead, "Save us, O God, who saves us" (I Chronicles 16:35). This constant call for salvation mirrors the twice-stated plea from Zion.
Rabbi Tanchuma shared this idea with Rabbi Nechuniah, but the latter offered a different perspective. He argued that the repetition stems from the fact that "Save us, O God, who saves us" appears once in the Book of Psalms and once in the Book of Chronicles.
The Midrash then uses a beautiful analogy. It's like a king's son betrothing another king's daughter. Both sides are preparing, eagerly awaiting the big day. What's the delay? The "preliminaries," the preparation for the final redemption, as Isaiah 63:4 puts it: "For the day of vengeance is in my heart."
So, what does this all mean for us? It's an invitation to look towards Zion, not just as a physical place, but as a symbol of hope, redemption, and the source of all that is good. It reminds us that our yearning for a better world, a more complete self, is deeply connected to this idea of Zion. It’s a reminder that the blessings, support, and even salvation we seek might just be waiting for us, flowing from that very special place within our hearts and within the world. Are we ready to receive it?