Definitions for dreidel
ˈdreɪd ldrei·del

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dreidelnoun

   A four-sided spinning top, a symbol of Judaism used at Hanukkah.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Dreidel

   A dreidel, also dreidle or dreidl ( DRAY-dəl; Yiddish: דרײדל, romanized: dreydl, plural: dreydlech; Hebrew: סביבון, romanized: sevivon) is a four-sided spinning top, played during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The dreidel is a Jewish variant on the teetotum, a gambling toy found in many European cultures. Each side of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet: נ‎ (nun), ג‎ (gimel), ה‎ (hei), ש‎ (shin). These letters are represented in Yiddish as a mnemonic for the rules of a gambling game derived from teetotum played with a dreidel: nun stands for the word נישט (nisht, "not", meaning "nothing"), gimel for גאַנץ (gants, "entire, whole"), hei for האַלב (halb, "half"), and shin for שטעל אַרײַן (shtel arayn, "put in"). However, according to folk etymology, they represent the Hebrew phrase נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה שָׁם (nes gadól hayá sham, "a great miracle happened there"), referring to the miracle of the cruse of oil. For this reason, most dreidels in Israel replace the letter shin with a letter פ‎ (pe), to represent the phrase נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה פֹּה (nes gadól hayá po, "a great miracle happened here"); however, many Haredi communities insist that the letter shin should be used in the Holy Land as well, because the reference to "there" means in the Holy Temple and not in the Land. While not mandated (a mitzvah) for Hanukkah (the only traditional mitzvot are lighting candles and saying the full hallel), spinning the dreidel is a traditional game played during the holiday.Astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman spun a dreidel made by Israeli silversmith Gideon Hay for an hour in outer space.

WikidataRate this definition:4.0 / 3 votes

1. Dreidel

   A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, played with during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The dreidel is a Jewish variant on the teetotum, gambling toy found in many European cultures. Each side of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet: נ, ג, ה, ש, which together form the acronym for "נס גדול היה שם". These letters also form a mnemonic for the rules of a gambling game played with a dreidel: Nun stands for the Yiddish word nisht, Hei stands for halb, Gimel for gants, and Shin for shtel ayn. In Israel, the fourth side of most dreidels is inscribed with the letter פ, rendering the acronym, נס גדול היה פה, Nes Gadol Hayah Poh—"A great miracle happened here" referring to the miracle occurring in the land of Israel. Some stores in Haredi neighborhoods sell the ש dreidels. According to Jewish tradition, when the Jews were in caves learning Torah, hiding from the Greeks, dreidel became a popular game to play. Legend has it that when the teacher would hear the Greek soldiers approaching, he would instruct the children to hide their torah scrolls and take out their dreidels instead.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dreidel

   A 4-sided toy marked with Hebrew letters and spun like a top in a game of chance, and traditional children's toy at Chanukah celebrations.

   I Have a Little Dreidel

   
   

   Submitted by anonymous on June 1, 2017  

How to pronounce dreidel?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say dreidel in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of dreidel in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of dreidel in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

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References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Dreidel
2. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreidel
3. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=dreidel