by Rabbi David Kastor
“Dreidel”

Dreidel Has 4 Letters. What Do They Mean?

If you live out of Israel, the letters are “nun” “gimel” “heh” “shin” which stands for “Nes gadol haya sham”- “A great miracle happened there.”
 
In Israel, the letters are “nun” “gimel” “poh” “shin” which stands for “Nes gadol haya sham”- “A great miracle happened here.”

Some opinions say that the four sides symbolized the four great powers that controlled Israel: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.

What Is Shamash?

In order to make a menorah kosher, the Shamash is the additional candle or lamp to light only Chanukah candles and it is usually placed higher than the other 8 candles. The Shamash is not allowed to use for other things such as reading a book in the dark.

Who Created The Dreidel Game?

When the Greeks passed a law to prevent the Jews from learning Torah and some people say that the game was invented by Jews using dreidel and gelt in order to review Torah issues on each letter, “nun” “gimel” “heh” “shin” whatever the dreidel landed. The Greeks didn’t know that the Jews used that game for Torah review and they thought that it was a just game.

So, the Jews created the game using dreidel and gelt in order to show the Greeks as if they were only playing games. Really, behind that game, it helped the Jews to review many Torah issues on each letter

Who Is Required To Light The Chanukah Menorah?

The custom is that the husband lights at home for his wife and family. Generally, the women don’t kindle when the male member that is over 13 years old is present to light and they just listen to the blessings. The reason why women don’t light is that because the husband and wife are considered as ‘one.’ Therefore, if there is no adult male in the house, the women must light the candles. According to some opinions, one feels that girls shouldn’t light because their mother who doesn’t light when the husband is present to light the candle while Rabbi Moshe Feinstein felt that girls should light for themselves.