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A DRAYDEL (SPINNING TOP)
The spinning top (draydel)has been popular with different peoples and cultures throughout the ages. |
Ancient tops were discovered on the island of
Sardinia,dating from the early Roman Period.
The Spinning Top was used as a game of
chance (luck) and on each of its four sides
were engraved the initials P N H T :
P – PONE = place (place your bet in the bank)
N – NUDDA = Nil/zero (you lost)
M – MESO = half (you won half the kitty)
T – TUTTE = everything/all ( you win the whole kitty)
This game of chance came to Europe and
was particularly popular in Germany.
In the Middle Ages the 4 letters were changed
to the German N G H S
(according to their Roman meaning)
The Jews of Germany were the the first to
adapt the game as one for children to play
on Chanuka and changed the Latin letters
N = Nicht, G = Gans, H = Halb,
S = Shtel to the Hebrew (Ness gadol haya
Sham=A great miracle happenned there).
The Zionist movement changed the
“Sham” to “Po”. So in Israel we say:
A Great Miracle happened Here!
NES GADOL HAYA PO