Daily Halacha - Laws of Sukkot, 14th of Tishrei 5778

How should one bind the lulav?

It is a preferred mitzvah to bind the lulav with two knots one on top of the other together with the hadassim and aravot. If one forgot to bind them before the holiday, it is permissible to pluck leaves from the lulav and bind it with its species using two knots (Chazon Ovadia p. 346).

Our custom, following the Ari's opinion, is to arrange hadassim and aravot on the right, hadassim and aravot on the left, and another hadas in the middle, slightly tilting the middle hadas to the right [towards chesed, as noted in Kaf HaChaim].

What should one pay attention to when binding the lulav?

When binding the Four Species, one should bind them so that the spine of the lulav extends one handbreadth above the hadassim and aravot (Chazon Ovadia p. 349).

One should also ensure that the hadassim are higher than the aravot. Anyone who raises the aravot above the hadassim endangers themselves (Chazon Ovadia p. 343).

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