Below is a photo gallery and review from the prayers and shiurim which took place on Shabbat Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of) Sukkot, in the presence of the Gaon and Tzaddik, Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit”a:

At 5:55 P.M., Moreinu HaRav shlit”a came out to his balcony to pray Minchah of Erev Shabbat Chol HaMoed.  After close to 15 minutes of the song “Or Zarua L’Tzaddik,” with great vitality, he stood up to pray Minchah. After the repetition of the Amidah, Moreinu HaRav said the psalm “Hashem Malach Geut Lavesh.”  After Minchah, the Rav shlit”a said the order of “Hitkashrut” word-for-word, with the entire congregation responding after him.  Afterwards, Moreinu HaRav began the shortened Kabbalat Shabbat of Shabbat Chol HaMoed; however, as is known, with the Rav shlit”a, there is no such thing as “short,” and Kabbalat Shabbat lasted for around a half-hour!  After Kabbalah Shabbat, he said “Kegavna,” and began Maariv with great vitality and arousal, with all the niggunim.  After Maariv, Moreinu HaRav continued at the end of the prayer like on every Shabbat, with the songs before Kiddush, which continued for over a half-hour, and he especially sang at length “Shalom Aleichem.”  At 7:55, the Rav entered his holy home with the song “V’Samachta BeChagecha” after a prayer of exactly two hours. For Shacharit, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a came out at 4:42, and began the sections of Tikkun Chatzot and “Shaarey Tzion” which are customarily said on Shabbat and holidays.  After this began the morning Zemirot with wondrous vitality, followed by the Korbanot.  After a break of around five minutes, he came down to the Beit Midrash and began saying Pesukei D’Zimra like on every Shabbat and Chag, with great arousal and fiery enthusiasm.  We point out that there was special emphasis during Shacharit on the song “Ki Kol Peh Lecha Yodeh – for every mouth thanks You” during Nishmat Kol Chai, lasting around 12 minutes.

Photo gallery from Chol HaMoed Sukkot 5785

Afterwards, there were the blessings of the Shema and the Shacharit prayer for the Three Festivals.  Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began the Amidah about ten minutes after sunrise.  Immediately after the repetition of the Amidah, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began the singing of Hallel which lasted for more than forty minutes, with vitality and fiery fervor, with all the niggunim.  “BeTzeit Yisrael MiMitzrayim…” lasted around four minutes.  There is no describing the power and the singing over and over, like an overflowing fountain, the vitality just becoming greater from moment to moment, the joy of the festival bursting forth as one.  Likewise, the niggunim between the verses “Hodu L’Hashem Ki Tov…” and “Ana Hashem Hoshea Na,” each one with its holy niggunim lasting around ten minutes.  Immediately after finishing Hallel, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began saying the Hoshanot, with the Torah scroll next to him, “Hosha Na, Zachor V’Shamor, Mekayemet Shabbat…”  At the end of the Hoshanot, “Hoshea Et Amecha” was sung for five minutes. After the Hoshanot, the Rav shlit”a gave over a lengthy shiur.  After the shiur, the Torah scroll was taken out.  As is his holy custom, only after the Torah scroll was taken out did he begin the reading of Megillah Kohelet, which was read from a kosher Megillah together with its blessing.  The Megillah reading lasted for around ten minutes.  At the conclusion, the Torah reading began, in which Moreinu HaRav shlit”a went up for the fourth Aliyah, the Aliyah of Rabbeinu HaKadosh.  The Torah and Haftarah reading lasted around twenty minutes. After the Torah reading, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began saying “Zara Chaya V’Kayama” for around five minutes.  After this, he began the Musaf Amidah of the Three Festivals. During the repetition, the Rav shlit”a sang at length the niggun, “VeKarev Pezureinu Mibein HaGoyim -- Bring close our dispersed ones from among the nations” for around five minutes with fiery fervor, followed by the song “Vehavi’einu LeTzion Irecha BeRina -- Bring us to Your city, Zion, in song,” which lasted for more than fifteen minutes.  After close to a half-hour of Musaf, the Rav shlit”a concluded the repetition, finishing the rest of the prayer according to its order.  From “Kavei El Hashem,” he gave over a brief shiur and then continued with Aleinu Leshabeach, Ane’im Zemirot, and Adon Olam.  After all of this, he even said a Tikkun HaKlali.  Afterwards, he gave over another shiur of around five minutes, like the words of the Living God, during the saying of the morning Kiddush.  He then entered his home at 9:57 after five and a quarter hours of prayer on Shabbat Chol HaMoed, together with Moreinu HaRav shlit”a.

Photo gallery from Hakafot Shniut after Simchat Torah 5785

At 6:10 P.M., Moreinu HaRav shlit”a entered his balcony for Minchah of Shabbat Kodesh.  He said Kaddish and began Berich Shemei and the singing of “Yehei Rava…” for a number of minutes.  Afterwards, he read the Torah – Zot HaBeracha – with three Aliyot.  Immediately afterwards, he began the Amidah.  At the end of Minchah, which lasted for around twenty minutes, in his place on his balcony, the Rav shlit”a did Netilat Yadaim for the Third Shabbat Meal at 6:30.  As is his holy custom, with the first Kazait, he began to sing the Zemirot of the Third Meal for some twenty minutes.  After this, he sang “Y-ah Ribon” for around a half-hour, with the Rav shlit”a repeating over and over all the stanzas.  After this, he continued with the song, “Ko Amar Hashem, Matzah Chen Bamidbar” for around two minutes.   After this, he began the song, “Ko Amar Hashem, Zacharti Lach Chesed Neurayich” for three minutes.  Afterwards, he sang the song “Ad Hena Azarunu Rachamecha” for 25 minutes.  At the end of the niggun, the Rav began “Tzur Mishelo Achalnu,” and said Zimmun on a cup. At 8:00, the Rav shlit”a began to sing “Lamnatzeach Binginot” for around five minutes.  Afterwards, he continued with Maariv of Motza’ei Shabbat with niggunim with great fervor.  In saying “Vehi Noam,” Moreinu HaRav shlit”a sang at length “Baruch Hu Elokeinu, SheBaranu LeK’vodo – Blessed is He Who created us for His glory,” and likewise the song that comes after it, “Hu Yiftach” for five minutes. After the conclusion of Maariv, the Rav performed Havdalah with the song “LaYehudim Hayta Ora – For the Jews, there was light…”  After Havdalah, the Rav did Netilat Yadaim for Melaveh Malkah.  Moreinu HaRav shlit”a sang all the songs with special vitality and pleasantness.  Before the song “Eliyahu HaNavi,” he gave over a shiur of three minutes, in which he spoke about the level of the Hilulah of Rabbeinu HaKadosh zy”a, which would take place Motza’ei Shabbat, the night of 18 Tishrei. After the shiur, the Rav continued the songs until their conclusion.  At the end, he said Zimmun on a cup, and entered his home at 9:20 P.M. after three hours and ten minutes that we merited to be together with him consecutively, from Minchah until the conclusion of Melaveh Malkah.  Altogether, we merited to be with the Rav for a total of ten and a half hours during Shabbat Kodesh, Chol HaMoed Succot, 17 Tishrei 5785.