The Chanukah game
The dreidel game, A to Z
What the four letters mean, how to play step by step, how to score, what to play for, and where the dreidel comes from. Print the rules table and bring it to the table this Chanukah.
The four letters
Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin
The four sides spell out Nes Gadol Haya Sham, “A great miracle happened there.” In Israel, the last letter is Pei, for Po, “here.”
× Nun: Nes, nothing
Nun stands for Nes, miracle. In the game, nun means nothing happens. Pass the dreidel.
×’ Gimel: Gadol, take all
Gimel stands for Gadol, great. Take the whole pot, and everyone puts in again.
×” Hei: Haya, take half
Hei stands for Haya, happened. Take half the pot. If the pot is odd, take half and round up.
ש Shin: Sham, put one in
Shin stands for Sham, there. Put one piece into the pot. In Israel, the side reads פ Pei, for Po, here.
Step by step
How to play dreidel
- Gather players and pieces. Two or more players. Give everyone the same number of pieces: gelt, nuts, raisins or candies. Ten to fifteen each is a good start.
- Fill the pot. Everyone puts one piece in the middle.
- Spin. Take turns spinning the dreidel by its handle. When it falls, the letter facing up tells you what to do.
- Follow the letter. Nun, nothing. Gimel, take all. Hei, take half. Shin, put one in.
- Refill. Whenever the pot is empty, or has only one piece, everyone puts one in again.
- Out and the winner. A player with no pieces left is out, or may borrow from the bank in a family game. The last player with pieces, or whoever has the most when the latkes are ready, wins.
Print it
Dreidel rules table
| Letter | Hebrew word | Yiddish | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| × Nun | Nes, miracle | Nisht, nothing | Nothing. Pass the dreidel. |
| ×’ Gimel | Gadol, great | Gantz, all | Take the whole pot. Everyone puts in one. |
| ×” Hei | Haya, happened | Halb, half | Take half the pot, rounded up. |
| ש Shin | Sham, there | Shtel, put | Put one piece in the pot. |
| פ Pei (Israel) | Po, here | Same as Shin: put one in. |
What to play for
Chanukah gelt
Gelt is Yiddish for money. There is an old custom to give children coins on Chanukah, especially on the fifth night, and to reward them for learning Torah. Chocolate gelt, gold foil coins, is the most popular prize for dreidel today. Many families also teach children to give part of their gelt to tzedakah.
Where it comes from
The history of the dreidel
A well-known tradition says that when the Greeks banned Torah study, children learned in secret. When soldiers came near, they hid their books and took out spinning tops, as if they were only playing.
The game itself is centuries old in Europe, and the Hebrew letters turned an ordinary top into a Chanukah reminder. In Yiddish it is a dreidel, from “to turn.” In Hebrew it is a sevivon.
The songs
In English, “I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay.” In Hebrew, “Sevivon sov sov sov, Chanukah hu chag tov,” spin, dreidel, spin, Chanukah is a good holiday.
Variations
Spin upside down on the handle. Hold a spinning contest for the longest spin. Play for points with a pencil and paper. For little ones, let every letter win something.
For parents
Tips for playing with kids
- Play after the candles are lit and the brachot are said, while the lights burn.
- Use small, wrapped prizes for young children, and keep coins away from toddlers.
- Before each spin, ask a question about the story: who was Matityahu? Why eight days?
- Let the winner tell the story of the oil.
Dreidels, gelt and menorahs are at the Judaica stores in Los Angeles.
Dreidel questions
What do the letters on a dreidel mean?
Nun, Gimel, Hei and Shin stand for Nes Gadol Haya Sham, a great miracle happened there. In Israel, Pei replaces Shin, for Po, here.
How do you play dreidel?
Everyone puts one piece in the pot and takes turns spinning. Nun means nothing, Gimel take the whole pot, Hei take half, and Shin put one in. The last player with pieces wins.
What does Hei mean in dreidel?
Hei means you take half the pot. If there is an odd number, take half and round up.
Why do Israeli dreidels have a Pei?
Because in Israel the miracle happened here, so the letters stand for Nes Gadol Haya Po, a great miracle happened here.
What is Chanukah gelt?
Gelt is Yiddish for money. It is a custom to give children coins on Chanukah, and chocolate gelt is the usual prize for dreidel.
Why do we play dreidel on Chanukah?
A tradition says children studied Torah in secret under the Greeks and took out spinning tops when soldiers came, so the dreidel reminds us of their courage.
Happy spinning, and a freilichen Chanukah from Bait Aaron.
Sources: Chabad.org: How to play dreidel
The Bait Aaron Chanukah guide
More for Chanukah
A question for the Rav, or want to join us for Chanukah at the shul? Contact Bait Aaron.
Bait Aaron Torah Outreach Center · 301 S. La Peer Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048 · Mara D’Asra: HaRav Moshe Nourollah, Shlita