“Making the Ikkar Tofel”: Sharp Words from Rosh Yeshiva Rav Kluft on the Eve of Shavuos

In a powerful address delivered just days before Zeman Matan Toraseinu, Rav Shneur Kluft, one of northern Israel’s most respected rabbanim and the Av Beis Din of Adas Yisrael in Haifa, sharply criticized the misplaced priorities surrounding Shavuos observance in some segments of the Torah world.

Rav Kluft, who also serves as Rosh Kollel of Daas Yoel and Rosh Yeshiva of Nachlas Naftali in Tzefas, devoted his derashah to what he described as a troubling trend: “People are making the ikkar the tofel, the main thing secondary, and the secondary thing into the main thing.”

Referring to the widespread custom of remaining awake all night on Leil Shavuos, Rav Kluft acknowledged the long-standing nature of the practice, but warned against allowing it to overshadow the core obligations of the day.

“The entire reason for staying up at night,” he explained, “is to prepare ourselves for tefillah, krias haTorah, and Megillas Rus. But if someone is dozing off during krias haTorah—especially when we read the Aseres Hadibros—then they have missed the point entirely.”

Quoting the Ramchal and Pesikta d’Rav Kahana, Rav Kluft emphasized that the most significant spiritual impact of Shavuos comes during the Torah reading itself. “According to halachah, if you won’t be fully alert for what you are obligated to hear, there’s no reason to stay up at night,” he stated.

He went on to lament: “They’re tired from the all-nighter, half asleep, and end up missing the Torah reading and Megillas Rus. They are forfeiting the very essence of the yom tov. The Aseres Hadibros were given on this day—and that’s what we’re here to receive again.”

With pain in his voice, the Rav concluded: “We are taking the essence and treating it as trivial, and taking the trivial and turning it into essence.”

{Matzav.com Israel}