“From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appeared.” (50:2)

Scripture tells us that from Zion comes Torah (Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2), blessing (Psalms 128:5, 134:3, 135:21) and salvation (Psalms 14:7, 53:7). How are these three products of Zion connected to beauty, a word associated with physical appearance? Surely God does not manifest only in beautiful vessels! Every human being is created in the image of God, whether or not a given individual conforms to societal norms of beauty. Just as every person has a quality of beauty because he or she is the image of God, so too Zion is beautiful because it is a place which radiates God.