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sunshine
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 592
Location: Up in the Clouds
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 Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:17 am Post subject: |
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*comes bearing a Festivus pie and jugs of apple cider, since she doesn't do Christmas or Hannukah anymore*
A dreidel (also called a "sevivon" in Hebrew) is a top with four sides with the Hebrew letters Nun, Gimel, Hey, and Shin each written on one side. The letters are traditionally believed to be an acronym for the phrase "Nes gadol haya sham", which means "A great miracle happened there". As a side note, dreidels in Israel are made with the letter Pey instead of Shin, changing the phrase to "A great miracle happened here" instead.
The game itself is very simple. Everyone starts out with a pile of gelt (chocolate coins) in front of them. Each round begins with everyone putting a piece into the "pot", and then taking turns spinning the dreidel. There are four actions a person can take on their turn, based on what letter is on the top side when the dreidel stops and falls over:
Nun= None. Take no action, next person goes.
Gimel= All (or Gimme in my family's house). Take all the gelt in the pot, everyone puts in a new piece.
Hey= Half. Take half the gelt in the pot.
Shin= Give (or Sh*t, according to my dad  ). Add one gelt to the pot.
My family always played until one person won all the gelt (or it was time for dinner/presents/candle lighting) and then it was divided back up again into equal amounts for everyone who played, with extras taken from any adult's share and given to the kids.
There are numerous stories about how dreidels were invented as a sneaky way for Hebrews to hide their Torah studies from the Greeks/Romans, and there's also numerous interpretations as to what else the letters may signify (Such as the four kingdoms who "tried to destroy us", or a mathematical equation that adds up to the numerical equivalent of "Messiah"). But the game itself has been around far longer than the explanations, and in far more cultures, too. So while the Jews very likely could have used the game for this purpose, they certainly didn't invent it!
*Finishes her lecture and wanders off to go help PCP with the wings on her Epic Snow Pirate*
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horsin'around
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 1260
Location: Stupidville
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:28 am Post subject: |
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Cider! Yay!
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Fall down seven times, get up eight. --Japanese Proverb
If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them.
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Tyris
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 873
Location: Beneath a vast mound of curly hair
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Asa wrote: | | *asks why no one is talking, have we all got laryngitis?* |
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU, I'VE GOT COTTON WOOL IN MY EARS!
...wait, that's the wrong punchline. And the wrong pronoun.
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You can't look dignified when you're having fun.
Dubbed "Tetris" by Asa... apparently. 
Keeper of Nanashi's ghostly blue visage and Felucca's hypothetical ejecting nose-cone.
"It's a sad thing when a man loses his cookie." - Nem |
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TheBritishInvasion
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 1846
Location: The couch
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I do have a sore throat.
*Gives everybody non-denominational greetings cards.*
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Britland as dubbed by AsA
Avatar courtesy of Footloose
Keeper of Tengu's electricity and Willow's 'what did you just say' eyes.
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Allicat
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 1341
Location: Land of the troll.
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Cinnamon and candles and holly and open fires and snow and good food and glitter and baubles and tinsel and family ^_^
Aww, I'm all homesick now. I want my mum 
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He who does not eat cheese will go mad. ~ French proverb.
Keeper of the fallen leaves. 'Cos they're still pretty. |
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daydreamer_girl
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 276
Location: Kaneedaaaa!!!
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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*throws a snowball*
*runs away*
FORE! Fore! Fore! Fore!
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Yo.
dubbed "Emma" by Asa
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UFAlien
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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*Follows daydreamergirl with a pottery gun, shooting teacups*
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Just because I like scary things doesn't mean I'M- okay, it kinda does sometimes.
Dubbed Loofah by Asa
UFAlien = UFA = oofah = Loofah |
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daydreamer_girl
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 276
Location: Kaneedaaaa!!!
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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As long as you don't hit my mug collection. I have some pretty cool mugs.
Let's build a snow fort! *Cackle*
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Yo.
dubbed "Emma" by Asa
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UFAlien
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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A snow fort of HORROR!? ^^
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Just because I like scary things doesn't mean I'M- okay, it kinda does sometimes.
Dubbed Loofah by Asa
UFAlien = UFA = oofah = Loofah |
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daydreamer_girl
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 276
Location: Kaneedaaaa!!!
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like a movie 
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Yo.
dubbed "Emma" by Asa
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UFAlien
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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I should make that...
Anyway, WHAT KINDA SNOWFORT?
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Just because I like scary things doesn't mean I'M- okay, it kinda does sometimes.
Dubbed Loofah by Asa
UFAlien = UFA = oofah = Loofah |
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daydreamer_girl
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 276
Location: Kaneedaaaa!!!
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Um...snowforts are not really my forte (no pun INTENDED!)
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Yo.
dubbed "Emma" by Asa
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UFAlien
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Well then why did you suggest building one?
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Just because I like scary things doesn't mean I'M- okay, it kinda does sometimes.
Dubbed Loofah by Asa
UFAlien = UFA = oofah = Loofah |
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theBSDude
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 1800
Location: The boring part of Washington
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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Because snow fort, duh.
I suggest the traditional snowball barrier, or the hobbit-hole.
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...In accordance with the prophesy.
TheBSDude, dubbed 'BS' by Asa and nicknamed 'Thebes.'
Keeper of the Tristam, The Amazing Non-Emo Vampire!(tm) and a Massive List of Webcomics.
"I'm like a ninja with no hopes or dreams." --Wally of Dilbert |
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UFAlien
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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But... where's the horror in that? =<
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Just because I like scary things doesn't mean I'M- okay, it kinda does sometimes.
Dubbed Loofah by Asa
UFAlien = UFA = oofah = Loofah |
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