T-H-Dreidel-art - 12/26/00 ਀ഊ"The Hannukah Dreidel" by Lady Meliora Leuedai de Ardescote. A Jewish game traditionally played during Hannukah. ਀ഊNOTE: See also the files: Teetotms-Dreid-art, games-msg, games-SCA-msg, Jews-msg, fd-Jewish-msg, alphabets-msg, religion-msg. ਀ഊ************************************************************************ ਀一伀吀䤀䌀䔀 ⴀഊ ਀吀栀椀猀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀 眀愀猀 猀甀戀洀椀琀琀攀搀 琀漀 洀攀 戀礀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 昀漀爀 椀渀挀氀甀猀椀漀渀 椀渀 琀栀椀猀 猀攀琀 ഊof files, called Stefan's Florilegium. ਀ഊThese files are available on the Internet at: ਀栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀眀眀⸀昀氀漀爀椀氀攀最椀甀洀⸀漀爀最ഊ ਀䌀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 琀漀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀琀攀渀琀猀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 昀椀氀攀 爀攀洀愀椀渀猀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀⸀ഊ ਀圀栀椀氀攀 琀栀攀 愀甀琀栀漀爀 眀椀氀氀 氀椀欀攀氀礀 最椀瘀攀 瀀攀爀洀椀猀猀椀漀渀 昀漀爀 琀栀椀猀 眀漀爀欀 琀漀 戀攀 ഊreprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first ਀漀爀 挀栀攀挀欀 昀漀爀 愀渀礀 瀀攀爀洀椀猀猀椀漀渀猀 最爀愀渀琀攀搀 愀琀 琀栀攀 攀渀搀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 昀椀氀攀⸀ഊ ਀                               吀栀愀渀欀 礀漀甀Ⰰഊ Mark S. Harris ਀                                    䄀䬀䄀㨀  匀琀攀昀愀渀 氀椀 刀漀甀猀ഊ stefan at florilegium.org ਀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀⨀ഊ ਀吀栀攀 䠀愀渀渀甀欀愀栀 䐀爀攀椀搀攀氀ഊBy Lady Meliora Leuedai de Ardescote ਀ഊHannukah is the Jewish festival of lights and the dreidel is a game that is traditionally played during this festival time. Let's take a look: ਀ഊHannukah celebrates the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Syrians, who banned Jewish practices such as circumcision, temple duties and studying the Torah. These activities were punishable by imprisonment or death. During this time, the Jewish people came up with ways to study in secret, such as pretending to gamble, but actually discussing their religion. ਀ഊMattathais (or Matityahu), was a Jewish priest of the Hasmonean clan, who was ordered by a Syrian soldier to sacrifice to a Greek god. He refused and then slew the soldier and a Jew who had tried to force him to comply. He and his 5 sons and their followers then fled to the hills, and a revolt began. Judah, one of the sons, led an army that defeated the Syrians and re-took the temple at Jerusalem. The Talmud says that the temple was re-consecrated in time to celebrate their Succoth Harvest festival, but that there was only enough oil for 1 day. The Jewish people believe that since the oil burned for 8 days, that this was a miracle that reflected the miracle that the Jewish people had defeated the Syrians and would ultimately defeat them (which they did). ਀ഊThe dreidel is reported to be one of the games which developed during the time of the conflict, but it may have also developed later - and continued as a tradition during the Middle Ages and into current times. Since the letters on the dreidel represent the Hannukah miracle, I'm not sure that it's likely to have been played the same way during the conflict (I have seen a report that it actually developed in Central Europe in the Middle Ages, but haven't been able to track down a good source for this yet). During the first 1/2 hour of nightfall during Hannukah, and other times that it was customary for the Jewish peoples not to study the Torah (such as Christmas Eve), the customs of games and riddles and singing developed. The dreidel continued as one of the games. ਀ഊWhat is a dreidel? It's a small, 4-sided top with a Hebrew letter on each side. The letters are called Nun, Gimel, Hay and Shin. They stand for "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham," or "A Great Miracle Happened There." This refers to a miracle that happened when Judah Maccabee liberated the temple in Jerusalem. There was only enough consecrated oil to burn for 1 day, but it burned for 8. Hannukah celebrates this miracle. ਀ഊTo play dreidel, everyone puts a coin (called gelt) into the pot. The youngest spins the dreidel. What it lands on determines what happens: ਀ഊNun means the player wins nothing and loses nothing. The next player spins. ਀䜀椀洀攀氀 洀攀愀渀猀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀礀攀爀 琀愀欀攀猀 愀氀氀⸀  䔀瘀攀爀礀漀渀攀 愀搀搀猀 愀 挀漀椀渀 琀漀 琀栀攀 瀀漀琀 愀渀搀 瀀氀愀礀 挀漀渀琀椀渀甀攀猀⸀ഊ ਀䠀愀礀 洀攀愀渀猀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀礀攀爀 琀愀欀攀猀 栀愀氀昀 琀栀攀 瀀漀琀⸀  倀氀愀礀 挀漀渀琀椀渀甀攀猀⸀ഊ ਀匀栀椀渀 洀攀愀渀猀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀礀攀爀 洀甀猀琀 愀搀搀 ㄀ 挀漀椀渀 琀漀 琀栀攀 瀀漀琀⸀  倀氀愀礀 挀漀渀琀椀渀甀攀猀⸀ഊ ਀倀氀愀礀 琀爀愀搀椀琀椀漀渀愀氀氀礀 挀漀渀琀椀渀甀攀猀 甀渀琀椀氀 ㄀ 瀀氀愀礀攀爀 栀愀猀 愀氀氀 琀栀攀 氀漀漀琀⸀ഊ ਀䄀 戀椀琀 漀昀 琀爀椀瘀椀愀㨀ഊ* In Jerusalem, the letters on a dreidel are changed to stand for "A Great Miracle Happened Here." ਀⨀ 䜀攀氀琀 猀琀愀爀琀攀搀 漀甀琀 愀猀 戀漀渀甀猀攀猀 琀漀 琀攀愀挀栀攀爀猀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀椀爀 最漀漀搀 眀漀爀欀⸀  䠀愀渀渀甀欀愀栀 眀愀猀 漀渀挀攀 愀氀猀漀 琀栀攀 琀椀洀攀 昀漀爀 渀攀椀最栀戀漀爀栀漀漀搀猀 琀漀 最攀琀 琀漀最攀琀栀攀爀 愀渀搀 搀椀猀挀甀猀猀 猀漀挀椀愀氀 椀猀猀甀攀猀 猀甀挀栀 愀猀 攀搀甀挀愀琀椀漀渀⸀  匀挀栀漀漀氀猀 眀攀爀攀 最椀瘀攀渀 琀栀攀椀爀 昀甀渀搀椀渀最 漀渀 䠀愀渀渀甀欀愀栀⸀  䜀攀氀琀 猀漀洀攀栀漀眀 洀漀瘀攀搀 昀爀漀洀 瀀愀礀洀攀渀琀 琀漀 琀攀愀挀栀攀爀猀 琀漀 戀攀椀渀最 瀀愀礀洀攀渀琀 琀漀 挀栀椀氀搀爀攀渀 昀漀爀 愀渀猀眀攀爀椀渀最 爀椀搀搀氀攀猀 漀爀 爀攀氀椀最椀漀甀猀 焀甀攀猀琀椀漀渀猀 挀漀爀爀攀挀琀氀礀⸀  吀栀攀 挀栀椀氀搀爀攀渀 氀愀琀攀爀 甀猀攀搀 琀栀攀 最攀氀琀 琀漀 瀀氀愀礀 搀爀攀椀搀攀氀⸀ഊ* Gelt is chocolate coins in gold wrappers. ਀⨀ 䜀愀洀戀氀椀渀最 椀猀 琀攀挀栀渀椀挀愀氀氀礀 昀漀爀戀椀搀搀攀渀 戀礀 琀栀攀 䨀攀眀椀猀栀 爀攀氀椀最椀漀渀⸀ഊ* The Hannukah Menorah has 8 candles to signify the 8 days that the miracle oil burned. It is lit from the middle, 1 candle per day, and displayed, for the 8 days of Hannukah. ਀ഊThis is a good game to play at Wassail or 12th Night celebrations, for both children and adults. Coins, nuts, raisins or other small tokens are all acceptable substitutes for chocolate gelt. If you choose to buy commercial dreidels, they usually come with an explanation of which letter or character is which. ਀ഊSources: ਀ഊThe Chanukah Dreidel ਀栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀眀眀⸀栀椀猀⸀挀漀洀⼀縀挀栀愀戀愀搀⼀㠀搀愀礀猀⼀搀爀攀椀搀攀氀⸀栀琀洀ഊ ਀吀栀攀 䐀攀瀀愀爀琀洀攀渀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 圀漀爀氀搀 娀椀漀渀椀猀琀 伀爀最愀渀椀稀愀琀椀漀渀 ⴀ 倀漀欀攀爀Ⰰ 䐀爀攀椀搀攀氀 愀渀搀 䠀愀渀渀甀欀愀栀 戀礀 刀漀戀椀渀 吀爀攀椀猀琀洀愀渀Ⰰ ㄀㤀㤀㘀ഊhttp://www.wzo.org.il/encountr/dreidle.htm ਀ഊChanukah on the Net - The Dreidle ਀栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀眀眀⸀栀漀氀椀搀愀礀猀⸀渀攀琀⼀挀栀愀渀甀欀愀栀⼀搀爀攀椀搀攀氀⸀栀琀洀氀ഊ ਀攀䜀䜀猀愀氀愀搀ഊhttp://www.foodwine.com/food/egg/egg1296/eggsalad.html ਀ഊThe Education Department of the Jewish Agency for Israel - The Pedagogic Center ਀栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀眀眀⸀樀愀樀稀ⴀ攀搀⸀漀爀最⸀椀氀⼀昀攀猀琀椀瘀氀猀⼀栀愀渀甀欀愀⼀栀㄀⸀栀琀洀氀ഊ ਀吀攀洀瀀氀攀 䈀✀渀愀椀 匀栀愀氀漀洀㨀䐀爀攀椀搀攀氀 䠀椀猀琀漀爀礀ഊ ਀吀栀攀 䠀椀猀琀漀爀礀 漀昀 䌀栀愀渀甀欀愀栀 戀礀 刀愀戀戀椀 䐀愀瘀椀搀 䔀⸀ 䰀椀瀀洀愀渀Ⰰ 昀爀漀洀㨀  吀栀攀 䈀漀漀欀 漀昀 䨀攀眀椀猀栀 䬀渀漀眀氀攀搀最攀㨀  㘀㄀㌀ 䈀愀猀椀挀 䘀愀挀琀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 䨀甀搀愀椀猀洀Ⰰ 䨀愀猀漀渀 䄀爀漀渀猀漀渀Ⰰ 䤀渀挀⸀ഊ ਀ⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀഊCopyright 2000 Sandy Danielewicz, 27883 Sutherland, Warren MI 48093. . Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy. ਀ഊIf this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in ਀琀栀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀 琀栀愀琀 礀漀甀 昀漀甀渀搀 琀栀椀猀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 䘀氀漀爀椀氀攀最椀甀洀⸀ 䤀 眀漀甀氀搀 愀氀猀漀ഊappreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being ਀爀攀瀀爀椀渀琀攀搀⸀ 吀栀愀渀欀猀⸀ ⴀ匀琀攀昀愀渀⸀ഊ ਀㰀琀栀攀 攀渀搀㸀ഊEdited by Mark S. Harris T-H-Dreidel-art Page 3 of 3 ਀ഊ