The ancient sages felt that way too. And they looked to the future, to a time when things would be set right.

Midrash Tehillim, a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms, grapples with this very longing in its discussion of Psalm 47. It asks, "When will He choose for us our inheritance, the inheritance of the pride of Jacob?" In other words, when will God finally make things right for us?

But it's not just about receiving an inheritance. The Midrash offers another, equally powerful interpretation: "When will He be chosen and give us our inheritance, when He sits on His holy throne?" When will God be chosen? When will we, as a people, actively choose to embrace His ways, allowing Him to truly reign in our lives and in the world?

To answer this, the text turns to the prophets. "And I will overturn the throne of kingdoms," says Haggai (2:22). Daniel echoes this vision, saying, "I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat" (Daniel 7:9). There's a sense of upheaval, of old power structures being dismantled to make way for something new, something divine.

So, when does this happen? The answer, according to the prophet Obadiah (1:21), is "And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau." A time of judgment is coming.

But what kind of judgment will it be? This is where it gets really interesting. Rabbi Yehuda bar Nachman, quoting Resh Lakish, offers a profound insight: "As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, ascends to judgment and sits on the throne to judge, when they blow the shofar, He rises and transforms the attribute of justice into the attribute of mercy." The shofar, the ram's horn, a call to attention, a blast from the depths of the soul. As soon as it sounds, God Himself transforms justice into mercy. It's not about harsh punishment, but about compassion and redemption.

The Midrash connects this to Moses' ascent of Mount Sinai. "And Moses ascended with the shofar sounding a blast, as it says, 'And God in the sound of the shofar' (Psalms 47:6), with mercy, as it says, 'The Lord, the Lord, God merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth' (Exodus 34:6)." It is this moment of revelation that transforms history.

Even in the midst of judgment, there's always the potential for mercy. The sound of the shofar acts as a catalyst, a reminder that even when things seem darkest, compassion can prevail. It is not just a call to judgment, but a call to repentance and change.