Question: Can you please explain the background and reason for the tradition for children to play with the Dreidel (spinning top) during Chanukah?
Response: The traditional Chanukah dreidel is a throwback to the times when the Greek armies of King Antiochus controlled the Holy Land, before the Maccabees defeated them and sent them packing. The powerful regime passed a series of laws outlawing the study of Torah and many of the mitzvot. The Jews were compelled to take their Torah learning "underground," for they knew that a Jew without Torah is like a fish out of water.
Jewish children resorted to learning Torah in outlying areas and forests. Even this plan was not foolproof, for the enemy had many patrols. The children therefore brought along small tops that they would quickly pull out and play with after secreting away their texts, so that they could pretend to be merely playing games.
Our Chanukah dreidel games are a salute to these Jewish heroes of yore.
The classic dreidel is a four sided spinning top made of wood, plastic, or the proverbial clay. On the four sides of the dreidel appear four letters from the Hebrew alphabet—nun (נ), gimmel (ג), hey (ה), and shin (ש). These four letters are an acronym for "nes gadol hayah sham"—"a great miracle happened there."
In Israel, the actual setting of the Chanukah miracle, the last letter, shin, is substituted with a pey (פ), which stands for "po"—"here."
And the real endgame is the lesson this game has taught. We are joyful about the miracles and wonders Gd did for our ancestors. Throughout Chanukah this is constantly on our mind—even when we are involved with fun and games!
