subject: The Beauty Of Hanukkah Cards [print this page] Hanukkah is one of the most significant Jewish holidays. In fact, it's one of the big three, taking its place with Passover and Yom Kippur -- all the while giving Christmas a run for it's money. And so it is that sometime in December the festival of light takes place. It's a time for gifts, great food, and piles and piles of Hanukkah cards.
The focus of Hanukkah, over and above the gifts and celebrating, is the preciousness of oil. Oil is a powerful metaphor for the blessings of a life, encapsulating everything from food, shelter, and family. So, the oil that was only supposed to last one day, lasted nine, seeing the ancient Hebrews to a new day of hope. It's the celebration of hope, symbolized as oil, that is key here.
Of course, no Hanukkah is complete without a few spins of the old dreidel. This beloved celebration requires everyone to sit in a circle and spin for treats. Depending on the specific family tradition, each player starts the game with either chocolate coins, peppermint drops, or sometimes pennies. Each player places one treat into the collective "pot" and takes turns spinning the dreidel.
The dreidel has four sides, each marked with a particular Hebrew letter. The letter corresponds to an aspiration of Hanukkah and entitles the players to certain actions. The letters and their corresponding meanings are: Gadol (greatness), Nes (miraculous), Haya (history, the past), and Sham (a return, meaning a return to Israel, the homeland).
Once each player has essentially anted-up, the spinning begins. If the dreidel tips over and displays Nes, nothing happens -- the miracle of life continues and the next player takes his or her turn. If the dreidel lands on Hey, he or she is entitled to the riches of history and is allowed to take half of the treats in the pot. If it lands on Sham, the player must put another treat into the pot, in an effort to help the return to the homeland. If, blissfully, the dreidel lands on Gadol, the player gets all the pot!
by: Errol Grange
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