New threshold

Sir, – The idea that the new law raising the electoral threshold to 3.25 percent will make any difference in the government’s ability to govern or the degree of democracy in Israel is without foundation (“The electoral threshold: Why the rush?” Comment & Features, March 11). There are only two parties in the current Knesset with fewer than the new threshold of four seats: Balad has three and Kadima has two. Under the new system, Balad is expected to join one of the other Arab parties, while Kadima supporters will easily find an ideologically similar party for which to vote. The impact of the new law will be negligible on the big parties’ numbers and on the Knesset’s ideological diversity. MAYER BASSAN Jerusalem Sir, – David Statman (“What the debate with the haredim is really about,” iEngage, March 9) could have quoted from Ethics of the Fathers, in which Rabban Gamaliel, son of Rabbi Judah the Prince, said: “An excellent thing is the study of the Torah combined with some worldly occupation, for the labor demanded by them both makes sin to be forgotten. All study of the Torah without work must in the end be futile and become the cause of sin.... Be on your guard against the ruling power....” Shemayah said: “Seek no intimacy with the ruling power,” to which could be added Hillel’s saying: “He who makes a worldly use of the crown of the Torah shall waste away.” I would be interested to read the haredi argument against these admonishments and learn if there are reasonable grounds for ignoring the sages. Perhaps one of your haredi readers would oblige. MICHAEL ALGE Kiryat Tivon