Hoshana Rabbah
[OCR unclear] The beating of the willow (aravah): [OCR unclear] the Gevuros [OCR unclear] sweetened Gevuros [OCR unclear].
It is our custom to make three bindings on the lulav [OCR unclear]: one binding that ties these [species] together, and in addition two more bindings on the lulav itself, above it (Siddur of the Alter Rebbe [OCR unclear]). The lowest binding, [the one that binds the species together], is made of three wrappings (Likkutei Minhagim — printed in Sefer HaMaamarim 5[OCR unclear], p. 57 ff.).
The explanation of the matter may be said to be as follows: It is known that the three Patriarchs correspond to the three attributes of Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes — Avraham is Chesed, Yitzchak is Gevurah [and Yaakov is Tiferes] [OCR unclear]. Therefore the lowest binding, which corresponds to [Tiferes], is made of three wrappings. For Tiferes, besides being a sefirah in its own right, also includes the attributes of Chesed and Gevurah; thus all three lines are present within it.
[From this] we can also understand why the two [upper] bindings are on the lulav [alone] [OCR unclear], corresponding to the binding above, in the root, while the third binding corresponds to binding the [three] species together. For binding several species together is a matter of inter-inclusion (hiskallelus), and that comes specifically from the middle line. The two upper bindings, however, are not a matter of inter-inclusion; rather, they correspond to the binding above in the root (from which [all] grow and emerge). For from Chesed and Gevurah it is possible for things to descend [OCR unclear] nurture, etc. And as [OCR unclear] [OCR unclear] the third binding [OCR unclear] spreading forth. For from Tiferes [OCR unclear] complete [OCR unclear] to bind the species together — the level of inter-inclusion.
According to this we can also explain why on Hoshana Rabbah, before Hallel, we remove the two rings that are on the lulav, and only the three wrappings that bind the lulav, the myrtles [and the willows] remain.
The simple reason for removing the rings on Hoshana Rabbah is that the rings hinder the [rustling of the leaves] (Likkutei Minhagim [OCR unclear]) [OCR unclear] of the lulav, and consequently also [OCR unclear] [the accusation (kitrug)] [OCR unclear]. [OCR unclear] after the sealing [of the judgment], one must strive to increase the rustling [of the lulav], [and thereby the accusation] will be nullified of itself.
Key Lesson
The three bindings of the lulav mirror the three Patriarchs and the attributes of Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes, with Tiferes, the middle line, joining the different species into one. On Hoshana Rabbah, once the judgment has been sealed, we free the lulav to rustle more, so that any accusation is nullified of itself.