Ideally, one personally binds the Daled Minim in the Sukkah on Erev Sukkos.
Five rings are used when binding the Lulav. These are all prepared before binding the Lulav. [Lulav baskets are not used.]
Two rings are placed on the Lulav itself. These are positioned so that the Haddasim and Aravos obscure them (at least partially).
Three rings are used to bind the lower end of the Lulav with the Haddasim and Aravos. These three rings should span no more than a Tefach (8cm).
With the Lulav lying horizontally and the spine facing upward, the Haddasim are positioned, one to the right, one to the left, and one on the actual spine, inclined slightly to the right. [The same pattern is followed for any additional Haddasim.]
One Aravah is positioned to the right of the Lulav, and the other to the left. The Aravos should be obscured by the Haddasim.
When binding, one must ensure that the Lulav spine extends at least another Tefach above the Haddasim and Aravos. [The Lulav spine ends at the point where leaves no longer branch out of the middle leaf.] If necessary, the Haddasim and Aravos may be shortened, ensuring that they remain at least three Tefachim (24cm) in length, as measured from the top of the stem to the bottom leaf.
The bottom of the Haddasim and Aravos should be flush with the bottom of the Lulav. Shortening the Haddasim and Aravos must be done from the bottom of the stem. If it is shortened at the top, the Aravos are Possul, and the Hadassim should not be used unless there are no others available.
If the Lulav was not bound on Erev Yom Tov, or became undone, one may not make rings on Yom Tov. However, one may wrap a Lulav leaf around and around, and insert the tip into the makeshift “ring”, without tying or making a knot.
