Joel Pollak
Politics • Lifestyle • News • Travel • Writing
I will share my thoughts about American politics, as well as current events in Israel and elsewhere, based on my experiences in the U.S., South Africa, and the Middle East. I will also discuss books and popular culture from the perspective of a somewhat libertarian, religiously observant conservative living in California. I will also share art and ideas that I find useful and helpful, and link to my content at Breitbart News, Amazon, and elsewhere.
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Leaving Johannesburg, and South Africa

I'm writing on battery power, with the electricity having been cut off at 7:00 a.m. I suppose the authorities figure that with sunrise, people should no longer have to depend on heating, and if you happen to have forgotten to boil your water early on a Sunday morning, that's tough for you. Not a good way to live.

This country has so much potential, but is being destroyed by: 1) anarchy; 2) corruption; 3) radical trade unions and political parties; 4) left-wing elites. The solution is to return to enforce laws and return to the practical, common-sense solutions that people -- regardless of race, gender, or political affiliation -- end up embracing when times are tough, and often too late to prevent real damage.

I still think South Africa has a very important role to play in the world. Not just as an example of what not to do, though I have written about that; not just as an example of how things can be turned around, which I have also written about; but also as an example of exactly what needs to change if western civilization is going to save itself from its enemies and from self-destruction.

I think one of the things that made Rhoda Kadalie so special is that she followed a revolutionary path until she saw revolution, then realized that what needed to be preserved was more important than the radical changes she hoped to make. She saw through race, gender, ideology -- all of that. She saw that western civilization, for all its flaws, was worth saving and that the task was urgent.

I think the turning point in South Africa is where revolution and redistribution are set aside in favor of the embrace of rules -- laws to be enforced, boundaries to be followed in private life. I think that leaves plenty of room for change and dynamism and fun. But it's because of the boundaries that we can have all of the good things, all of the progress and joy of life. The boundaries do matter.

It is important that the group previously dispossessed and victimized comes to that understanding, however grudgingly. It is also important that the group that previously benefited from an unjust system accept responsibility -- but without endless guilt. When they, too, defend the rules and principles without a sense of shame, there is hope for turning South Africa -- and America -- around.

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Time-lapse sunrise at Temescal Falls
00:00:17
This is what is left of my special place in the forest

Burned, then covered in mudslides and rockslides. The river still flows through it. But we have lost so much. I have to believe the spirit still lives on.

00:00:16
The drive home 💔
00:00:46
Weekly Torah reading: Shlach (Numbers 13:1 - 15:41)

This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).

It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.

We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.

The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.

But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...

Weekly Torah portion: Beha'alotecha (Numbers 8:1 - 12:16)

This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).

I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading.asp?aid=2495737&jewish=Behaalotecha-Torah-Reading.htm&p=complete

Weekly Torah reading: Naso Numbers 4:21 - 7:89

This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.

https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm

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