So That Your Generations May Know ◇ Coverage of Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot in

Presented before you is an extensive coverage of the prayers and lessons that took place on Shabbat Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of) Sukkot 5786 in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days)

At 18:05, our teacher the Rav shlit"a came out to the balcony of his home for the Mincha (afternoon) prayer of the eve of Shabbat Chol HaMoed. After fifteen minutes of singing 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' (Light is sown for the righteous) with great vitality, he stood for the Mincha prayer.

After the Chazzan's (cantor's) repetition, the Rav said the psalm 'Hashem Malach Ge'ut Lavesh' (Hashem reigns, He is clothed in majesty). After the conclusion of the Mincha prayer, the Rav shlit"a said the Seder HaHisksherus (order of attachment to the Tzaddik) word by word, and the entire large crowd that came to greet their teacher during the festival and spend the Shabbat with him merited to answer after him.

With the conclusion of the Seder HaHisksherus, the Rav began the shortened Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming the Sabbath) for Shabbat Chol HaMoed. However, as is known with the Rav shlit"a, there is no such thing as "shortened," and Kabbalat Shabbat lasted about twenty long minutes (!). After Kabbalat Shabbat, he said 'Kegavna' (a mystical prayer from the Zohar) and they began the Maariv (evening) prayer for the night of Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot with vitality and enthusiasm, using all the melodies. After the Maariv prayer, the Rav continued at the end of the prayer as he does every Shabbat with the zemirot (songs) before Kiddush. These lasted for over half an hour, primarily with the lengthy singing of "Shalom Aleichem." At 20:10, the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home to the singing of 'V'Samachta BeChagecha' (And you shall rejoice in your festival) after a prayer service of two hours and five minutes.

The Rav shlit"a came out for the Shacharit (morning) prayer at 04:53 and began saying the verses of Tikkun Chatzos (midnight lamentation) and the poem 'Sha'arei Zion' (Gates of Zion), as is customary to say on Shabbats and festivals. The morning zemirot (songs) were said with wonderful vitality, followed by the Korbanot (sacrificial readings). At 05:40, he began saying 'Hodu' and Pesukei D'Zimra (verses of praise) as every Shabbat with great awakening and like a flaming fire. We should note a special lengthiness during the Shacharit prayer during the singing of 'Ki Chol Peh Lecha Yodeh' (For every mouth shall thank You) during the recitation of 'Nishmat Kol Chai' (The soul of every living thing), which lasted for about eight minutes.

The Rav shlit"a stood for the Shemoneh Esrei (the silent prayer) at 07:00 in the morning—after more than two hours of the Shacharit prayer. With the conclusion of the Chazzan's repetition, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of Hallel (psalms of praise), which lasted for over forty minutes with vitality and like a flaming fire with all the melodies. 'B'Tzeit Yisrael MiMitzrayim...' (When Israel went out of Egypt) lasted about ten minutes; it is impossible to describe the intensity and the singing over and over again, and like an ever-strengthening spring, the vitality only rose from moment to moment, the joy of the holiday bursting forth all at once. But the main lengthiness was in the melody of 'Hodu L'Hashem Ki Tov...' (Give thanks to Hashem for He is good—using the Chabad melody of "B'Elokim Malki MiKedem"). For over half an hour, the Rav shlit"a made the entire public dance and jump. Also, from the melody sung during 'Ana Hashem Hoshia Na' (Please Hashem, save us—using the melody of "Adir Ayom V'Nora" from the Melaveh Malka songs), our Rebbe shlit"a did not hold back and extended it for over fifteen minutes. The Hallel alone lasted for over an hour and three minutes. Regarding this, we say, "Whoever has not seen [this] joy..."!

With the conclusion of the Hallel in wonderful lengthiness, the Rav shlit"a immediately began saying the Hoshanot (special prayers for Sukkot) for the Holy Shabbat. The Rav shlit"a went down and circled the holy Bimah (platform) upon which the Holy Torah scroll was placed, which accompanies the Rav shlit"a everywhere. 'Hosha Na, remember and keep the one who observes the Shabbat...' everyone cried out!

The opening of the Ark with the singing of 'Yehei Ra'ava' (May it be the Will) lasted about ten minutes. As is his holy custom, only after taking out the Torah scroll did he begin the reading of Megillat Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) from a kosher scroll along with the blessing. The reading of the Megillah lasted about twenty-three minutes. Immediately upon finishing the Megillah reading, he began reading from the Torah. Although the reading for Shabbat Chol HaMoed is considered relatively short (seven aliyahs for only 22 verses), with the Rav shlit"a, there are many students, and thank Hashem, many celebrations and many people called up to the Torah. As is customary, the Rav shlit"a takes the aliyah of our Holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman)—the fourth aliyah. The Torah reading with the special Haftarah (prophetic reading) about Gog and Magog lasted for over half an hour.

At the conclusion of the Torah reading, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of 'Zera Chaya V'Kayama' (Living and enduring offspring) for twenty minutes. This was an innovation, because usually in recent years, the Rav shlit"a does not extend this song so much. But here he lengthened it. (Parenthetically, it can be noted that unfortunately, several cases of miscarriages have occurred recently in our holy community, and for this reason, the Rav shlit"a saw fit to strengthen this song). Afterward, he approached the Musaf (additional) prayer of Shabbat Chol HaMoed—the Musaf of the Three Festivals.

During the Chazzan's repetition of Musaf, the Rav especially lengthened the melody of 'V'Karev Pezureinu MiBein HaGoyim...' (And bring our scattered ones close from among the nations) and the singing of 'V'Havienu L'Zion Ircha B'Rina...' (And bring us to Zion Your city with song) for several minutes. After the Musaf prayer, the Rav shlit"a finished the prayer in its order, starting with 'Kaveh El Hashem' (Hope to Hashem). It was short, and then he continued with Aleinu L'Shabeach, Anim Zemirot, Adon Olam, and Yigdal Elokim Chai. After everything, he even said the Tikkun HaKlali (The General Rectification). After finishing the Tikkun HaKlali, he made Kiddush (sanctification over wine) at his holy place standing under the Tzaddik's Sukkah. The Rav shlit"a gave a relatively long lesson of about fifteen minutes. Only at 10:45 in the morning did the Rav shlit"a enter his holy residence. This was after nearly six hours (5:52) of the Shabbat Chol HaMoed prayer; Shacharit, Hallel, Hoshanot, the reading of Megillat Kohelet, Musaf, Tikkun HaKlali, and Kiddusha Rabba (the great Kiddush), which we merited together with the Rav shlit"a.

At 18:10, the Rav shlit"a entered for the Mincha prayer of the Holy Shabbat to the balcony of his home with the singing of 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' for about fifteen minutes. Afterward, he began saying 'Berich Shmeih' (Blessed be His Name) and the singing of 'Yehei Ra'ava' for several minutes. The Torah reading—V'Zot HaBerachah—three people called up. Afterward, immediately following, the Shemoneh Esrei prayer.

With the conclusion of the Mincha prayer for Shabbat Chol HaMoed, at his place on the balcony, the Rav shlit"a washed his hands for the Seudah Shlishit (the third meal) at 18:50. As is his holy custom, he immediately began the Seudah Shlishit zemirot for about twenty-two minutes. Following them, he sang 'Yah Ribbon' (G-d, Master of the world) for 40 minutes (!). The Rav shlit"a repeated all the stanzas over and over again, especially 'Ravrevin Ovadach V'Takifin' (Great and mighty are Your works). During the singing of 'Koh Amar Hashem Matza Chen BaMidbar' (Thus says Hashem, he found grace in the desert), he lengthened it for about 8 minutes. Afterward, he moved to the singing of 'Koh Amar Zacharti Lach Chesed Ne'urayich' (Thus says Hashem, I remember for you the kindness of your youth) for 9 minutes. After that, he lengthened the singing of 'Ad Henah Azarunu Rachamecha' (Until now Your mercies have helped us) for 10 minutes. For those paying attention, it was interesting to see how in every melody, the Rav shlit"a lengthened it by one additional minute more than the previous melody. In addition to this, it should be noted that for a long time we have not merited such lengthiness in the Seudah Shlishit, which lasted for over an hour and forty minutes.

After he led the grace after meals and blessed over the cup, at 20:24, the Rav shlit"a began the singing of 'Lamnatzeach BiNginot' (To the conductor with melodies), also with great lengthiness, nearly half an hour (28 minutes) of singing and dancing. By now, long after the conclusion of Shabbat according to all opinions, the songs and dances accompanied by music took on a new dimension. At 20:52, he began the Maariv prayer of the conclusion of Shabbat Chol HaMoed with melodies like a flaming fire. Although in past years the Rav shlit"a said 'Vihi Noam' even if there is a festival during the week, from the beginning of this year, the Rav shlit"a skipped it and continued immediately to 'Shir LaMa'alot' and 'Aleinu L'Shabeach.'

After the conclusion of the Maariv prayer, the Rav performed Havdalah (ceremony marking the end of Shabbat) with the singing of 'LaYehudim Hayta Orah...' (The Jews had light...). After Havdalah, the Rav washed his hands for Melaveh Malka (the meal accompanying the departing Queen)—this is the meal of David the King Mashiach. The Rav shlit"a sang all the zemirot with special vitality and pleasantness. Before the song 'Eliyahu HaNavi' (Elijah the Prophet), he gave a lesson for fifteen minutes.

After the lesson, he continued the zemirot until their completion, and at the end, he led the grace after meals over the cup. An interesting thing happened: before the Grace After Meals, the Rav shlit"a gave a lesson of about five minutes, and before entering his holy home, he performed a Siyum HaShas (completion of the Talmud) from the "Daily Study" cycle which he established to learn eight pages of Gemara (Talmud) every day, which concludes on the day of the Hiloula (anniversary of passing) of our Holy Rebbe (Rebbe Nachman). After an abundance of words of the Living G-d descending from the "Stream, the Source of Wisdom" (a reference to Rebbe Nachman) which comes out of Eden to water his flock, the Rav shlit"a entered his holy home with the singing of 'Or Zarua LaTzaddik' at 22:22, after a length of over four hours (4:10) that we merited to be together with him continuously from the Mincha prayer until the end of Melaveh Malka.

In total, nearly twelve hours, which is almost half of the Shabbat, that we merited in the holy shadow—Holy Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot, 19th of Tishrei, 5786.