Hanukah Dreidel Hid Talmudic Study From the Eyes of Israel's Enemies By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX (Copright, 1951, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.) The significance of the "drei- del" that children use as a spin- ning top on Hanukah is inter- preted as symbolizing the fact that the victory of Hanukah was a victory of the weak over the mighty. The children, of course, represent the weak. The top represents t h e wheel of for- tune. Looking at the operation of the top one Is im- pressed with the idea t hat the outnumbered and fatigued ranks of Israel spun the top of destiny and changed the tide of victory. Some writers claim that the top represents the Al- mighty's hand which sends life spinning in any direction it wishes. There is an interesting com- parison between the top used on Hanukah and the G r o g g e r (noisemaker) used on Purim. The grogger is spun from the bottom symbolizing the fact that the people of Israel actu- ally repented a n d were saved through their own repentance. The Hanukah Dreidel, spun from Above, indicates that it was only the mercy of the Lord from above that saved the sit- uation on Hanukah. The most popular explanation of the dreidel is the historical one. According to this reason- ing the dreidel commemorates the clever ruse used by the stu- dents of the Maccabaan era to avoid government officials who sought to prevent them from studying. The tyrannical rule of that time outlawed the study gatherings of the Jewish people As always, the Jews persisted in the study of the Torah as their lifeline to the spirit of God. The groups that assem- bled in those days conducted sessions orally. The problem was to avoid evident signs of study. This was easily done by spinning the top on the table of learning. The four letters (Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin) are the initial let- ters of the four German words which indicate the score achieved by the spinner of the top should the top fall on that particular face. The words are "Nichts," "Gans," "Halb," "Shtel" which mean respec- tively: "Nothing,"- "All," "Half," "Put" — which are the gains or losses of the play. Many claim the four letters are the abbreviation of t h e statement "Nes Gadol Hoyoh Shorn" which means (in He- brew) a great miracle happened there. Some like to say that the four letters represent four faculties of humanity which four op- ponents of Israel tried to quell. They a r e "Guf" (the body), "Sechel" (the intellect) , "Ne- fesh" (the soul) and "Hakol" (all). The four empires—Rome, Babylonia, Greece and Persia each, in its turn, sought to quell one of these four elements. The reasons for eating latkes on Hanukah is not well known. Some claim that Judith served the tyrant either cheese latkes or cheese cakes thus making him thirsty. From this the cus- tom of eating pancakes of all kinds developed. Others claim that the Jewish women would rush to meet the soldiers of their people and serve them hot delicacies or latkes. THE JEWISH NEWS 39 BRUSSELS (JTA)—The Pro- visional Intergovernmental Com- mittee for the Movement of Mi- grants from Europe closed its first meeting here after naming American representative George L. Warren and Belgian represen- tative Franz Leemans provision- al directors of the • organization. It was reported that she dele- gations of the 16 nations repre- sented at the conference have agreed that the-director shall be an American and that Mr. War- ren should find the proper per- son for the post. The budget of the organiza- tion, which will take over some of the functions of the Interna- tional Refugee Organization when it is liquidated Jan. 15, is $36,954,000. Neumann 'Leaves fOr Israel To Diisteuss Economic Shaker)* NEW YORK (JTA)—Dr. Ema- 'Ink department in Jerusalem nuel Neumann, member of the and to confer with Israel gov- Form Sephardic Congress Jewish Agency Executive, Jeru- ernment leaders on plans for PARIS, (JTA)—Establishment salem section, left for Israel to further stimulating the flow of of a World Federation of Sep- reorganize the Agency's econo- private investment capita). t hardic Communities climaxed the five-day first world congress of Sephardic Jews. Best Wishes 1(0 All Moshe Sharett, Foreign Min- Our Friends and Patrons ister of Israel, hailed formation of the federation as a significant development in Jewish life. JENSEN. AND KEOUGH Architects and Engineers 15875 Hanukah Best Wishes PARKS-MacNIICHAEL, INC. Detroit James Couzens 'Hwy. 21, Michigan UN, 4-3822 Ford Sales and Service Sincere Holida Greetings 14240 West Seven Mile Road UNiversity 3-4210 M. C. GUTHERIE LUMBER CO. Wholesale and Retail Office, Mill and Yard Holiday Greetings 205 SOUTH HARBAUGH at Wabash WARREN COLLISION SHOP R. R. M. C. GUTHERIE Pres. Vi 2-1000 Complete Bumping and Painting Holiday Greetings TY. 6-1 164 6545 W. Warren Refrigeration Service, Inc. Authorized Frigidaire Service Best Wishes STIL MAN CONSTRL CTION CO. UN..4-1597 18494 Mendota A Joyous Holiday EDWARD -1EISIEL CO. • • Reliable Service Since 1916 Season's Greetings MERRILL-THREM 1111) fl TE. 4-5440 1 1 1 1 1 Grand River On the Hanukah Season I LAND CONTRACTS EALTOR WO. 1 2655 Hammond Bldg. - 768 PENOBSCOT BLDG. Everything in Electric Tools Since 19 Z1. WO. 1-6030 A complete sales or service on all makes of Electric Drills, Grinders, Sanders, Saws, etc. DUMORE EQUIPMENT, JACOBS CHUCKS Holiday Greetings HARTWELL CEMENT CO. . ELECTRIC TO IL SERVICE 6188 Twelfth St., Detroit 8, Mich. TR.. 3-6060 I Commercial - Industrial - Concrete Work Hanukah Greetings YE. 8-8210 15775 SCHAEFER GOULDING ELECTRIC CO. Heartiest Holiday- Greetings 314 Beaubien WO. 1-7099 from Lafayette Steel Corporation VI. -2-4115 13501 Sanders Holiday Greetings Name Directors of New Agency Succeeding IRO DE Friday, December 21, 1951 HOWES SHOEMAKER CO. Holiday Greetings FALL SPRING & WIRE CO. 12350 East 9 Mile Rd. JEfferson 6-3-535 . Cigarette Vending Machines Bars - Hotels - Restaurants - Industrial Locations 2373 - 17th Holiday Greetin,gs TAshmoo 5-3180 Holiday Best Wishes Grand Machinery Company Ace Tool & lie Cot. Automatic Screw Machines Pails "2 5/8" 8301 Lyndon WE. 3-3613-14 Fred W. GoObach s Jr. — ,