The Dreidel as Representative of the Merkava (Conversation with Google Gemini)

 B”H

Prompt: The Dreidel as Representative of the Merkava. Shin stands for Shor, Ox (in Israel Peh is Par, bull); Gimmel is Gur Aryeh (Lion); Heh is Ha’Adam, Man, and Nun is Nesher, Eagle. These are the faces of the Chayot HaKodesh. Hannukah is about rededicating the Temple, the Throne of Hashem, like the Merkava.

This is a profound and beautiful synthesis of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) and the holiday of Hanukkah. By linking the humble dreidel (sevivon) to the Merkava (the Divine Chariot), you are connecting a simple children’s game to the highest levels of prophetic vision found in Ezekiel.

The traditional acronym for the dreidel—Nes Gadol Haya Sham (A Great Miracle Happened There)—is transformed here into a map of the Chayot HaKodesh (the Holy Living Beings) that carry the Throne of Hashem.

The Symbolic Mapping

Here is how your breakdown aligns the dreidel letters with the four faces of the Merkava:

| Dreidel Letter | Meaning (Original) | Chayah (Living Being) | Symbolism |

|---|---|---|---|

| Nun (נ) | Nes (Miracle) | Nesher | The Eagle |

| Gimmel (ג) | Gadol (Great) | Gur Aryeh | The Lion |

| Heh (ה) | Haya (Was) | Ha'Adam | The Human |

| Shin (ש) | Sham (There) | Shor | The Ox |

Note: As you mentioned, in Israel, the Shin is replaced with a Peh (for "Po" - Here), which maps perfectly to Par (Bull/Ox).

Why This Matters for Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the festival of Chanukat HaMizbe'ach (Dedication of the Altar) and the restoration of the Temple. In mystical thought, the physical Temple on Earth is a reflection of the "Celestial Temple" or the Chariot.

 * The Rotation: The dreidel spins from above (the handle). This represents Sovev Kol Almin—the Divine light that surrounds and transcends all worlds, spinning the physical reality of the four "faces" or directions of this world.

 * The Center Point: When the dreidel spins, the letters blur into a circle. This symbolizes the unity of the four faces of the Merkava as they focus on the singular source: the Throne of Hashem.

 * Rededication: By playing with the dreidel, we are symbolically "operating" the Chariot, acknowledging that even in the "game" of history and chance, Hashem is the driver of the Merkava.

A Deeper Connection: Gematria

Interestingly, the Gematria (numerical value) of the four letters Nun, Gimmel, Heh, and Shin is 358.

This is the exact same numerical value as Mashiach (משיח). This reinforces your point: the dreidel isn't just a toy; it is a tool for meditation on the restoration of the Divine Presence and the ultimate redemption.

Daily Spiritual Guide for the 19th of Kislev (The Rosh Hashanah of Chassidut! Hod shebeHod, just as Lag Ba'Omer)

Date: 19th of Kislev, 5786 (Monday Night / Tuesday Day, December 8/9, 2025) Focus: Hod shebeHod shebeGevurah (Acknowledgement/Glory within Acknowledgement/Glory withing Might/Judgement). Day of Cycle: Day 82 of the 364-Day Yearly Cycle.

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15 Steps to the Sanctuary

1. Hayom Yom (Daily Lesson) 💡

   • From a letter by my father: The 19th of Kislev...the festival on which "He redeemed our soul in peace," (Tehillim 55:19) and our soul's illumination and vitality were given to us, this day is Rosh Hashana for Chassidus. A day of farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) and good resolutions towards establishing times to study the revealed Torah and Chassidus publicly.

2. Alef-Bet Combination 🔠

   • Combination: Tonight is Day 16 (Ayin) of 22-Day Cycle 4. The combination is Ayin with Zayin, forming "Oz" (power, boldness).

   • Acrostic Verse (Psalms 34:16): "טז עֵינֵ֣י יְ֖הֹוָה אֶל־צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֜אָזְנָ֗יו אֶל־שַׁוְעָתָֽם: / The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous, and His ears are to their cry."

3. Sefirah (Inner Refinement) ✨

   • Sefirah: Day 5 of Week 12: Hod shebeHod shebeGevurah (Acknowledgement/Glory within Acknowledgement/Glory withing Might/Judgement). This refinement focuses on expressing sincere humility and gratitude (Hod) that is deeply embedded in one's very being, and then channeled with appropriate discipline (Gevurah).

4. Kabbalah of Time Weekly Focus 📖

   • Song for the Day (Book 5, Week 12): Longing for G-d

     • SONG OF SONGS: The verses (1:17, 3:1-2) express the deep longing for G-d, mirroring the spreading of Chassidut by the Alter Rebbe.

     • TALMUD SHEVUOTH (Daf 12): The discussion of the scapegoat of Azazel reflects the elevation of the animal soul.

5. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov & Jewish Spiritual Practices 🔥

   • Light and Fire: Page 81

     • Reb Itche, by chopping wood and eating to increase his strength, fulfills two commandments with self-sacrifice: love of Israel, and not standing idly by the blood of a fellow Jew.

   • Jewish Spiritual Practices:

     • Talking to Hashem as a son speaks to a father, and also joining confession to any request.

6. Tanach Study (Daily Chapters) 👑

   • Book of Isaiah, Chapters 16 and 17: Prophecies concerning the judgment of Moab and Damascus, leading to the remnant of Israel turning to their Maker.

7. Daily Torah Study: Mishnah & Talmud ⚖️📜

   • Mishnah: Tractate Pesachim, Chapter 10; Tractate Shekalim, Chapter 1.

   • Talmud Daf Yomi: Zevachim 86. This section discusses the validity of sacrificial procedures.

8. 13 Attribute Combination (Divine Mercy) 📜

   • Tonight is Day 4 of 13-Day Cycle 7.

   • 4th Attribute: לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ / lishi’eirit nachalato — For the remnant of his heritage;

   • Relevant Attribute (7th): יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ/ yashuv yerachamanu — He shall again have mercy on us;

9. 41-Day Combination 🧼

   • Focus: Tonight is Day 41 of 41-Day Cycle 2 (The culmination of the cycle).

   • Theme: This day parallels the day in which Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the Torah, connected with the deepest part of our soul (the Yechidah), parallel to Adam Kadmon.

10. Living Likutei Moharan 🔗

    • Tonight’s Lesson: Torah 83 (Yud-Tes Kislev)

    • The transformation of Aph (Anger) into Peh (Revelation) through Tzedakah and the liberation of the Alter Rebbe while reciting “Padah b’Shalom Nafshi.”

11. Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 163 and 164 🛐

    • Siman 163: The obligation of the one eating to wash hands.

    • Siman 164: Laws regarding making a condition on morning hand washing and re-washing during a meal.

12. Zohar: Parashat Vayeshev - Folios 185 and 186 💎

    • The Foundation of the World: The world is upheld by seven pillars and the central principle of "the Righteous One."

    • Zion and the Cosmos: The world began from Zion, the spiritual center where faith culminates.

    • Judgement and Mercy: Zion and Jerusalem are channels for Judgement and Mercy.

    • Judah's Descent: Explained as being connected to Joseph's descent into Egypt.

13. Shovavim - Vayeshev (Parasha 9 of the Cycle) 🕊️

    • Cycle Day: Day 3 (Beit, Mordechai, Mesirut Nefesh) of Parasha 3 (Beit, Mordechai, Mesirut Nefesh) of Cycle 2 (Vav, Aharon, Avodah).

    • The focus on Self-Sacrifice (Mesirut Nefesh) connects to the spiritual battle of Yud Tes Kislev.

14. Parasha: Today we will learn from Noam Elimelech on Vayeshev 🧘 (Deep Parallels with the Alter Rebbe: contemplating G-d's greatness and "settling" the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov)

    • • Unifying Divine Names: The essential task of service is to unify the name Havayah (transcendent mercy, "El" or Chesed) and Adonai (immanent mastery, the "abode" for Havayah). Abraham was the first to achieve this unification and call G-d "Adon" (Master).

      •  The Incompleteness before Abraham: The mystical term "Ad" (from "a mist ['Ad'] went up from the earth") contains only two letters of Adonai, symbolizing an incomplete stage of recognition before Abraham was able to fully unify the Names.

      • The Role of Mitzvot: The core worship involves contemplating G-d's greatness (Morah v'Pachad). However, dwelling perpetually in this high thought would cause the soul to depart the body (Bittul HaMetzi'ut). Therefore, G-d gave us the 613 Mitzvot as physical acts (Avodah b'Guf) to anchor us in the world, allowing the deeper intellectual contemplation and spiritual clinging (Dveikut) to be sustained.

      • Jacob's Stability (Yeshivah): Jacob's settlement "in the land where his father dwelled" (Eretz Megurei Aviv) is interpreted as achieving stability (Yeshivah) in the level of awe/fear (Megurim), which is rooted in the physical service of Mitzvot ("land of Canaan" being a reference to the body).

15. M'Ein Ganim (p. 81) 🌿

    • The essential path for growth and accomplishment is rooted in knowing that a person's shortcomings are especially designed for them to achieve their life path. This requires embracing the journey without self-persecution and without comparing one's lot to others.

Daily Guide for the 15th of Kislev

 

Kabbalah of Time: Daily Guide for the 15th of Kislev

Date: 15th of Kislev, 5786 (Thursday Night / Friday Day, December 4/5, 2025)

Day of Cycle: Day 78 of the 364-Day Yearly Cycle.

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15 Steps to the Sanctuary

1. 1. Hayom Yom 💡

   • The Alter Rebbe quoted the Baal Shem Tov: "One must have mesirat nefesh (total self-sacrifice and dedication) for ahavat Yisrael (love of one's fellow), even towards a Jew whom one has never seen."

2. 2. Alef-Bet Combination  🔠

   • Combination: Tonight is Day 12 (Lamed) of 22-Day Cycle 4. The combination is Zayin with Lamed.

   • Acrostic Verse (Psalm 34:12): "לְכֽוּ־בָ֖נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י יִרְאַ֥ת יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה אֲלַמֶּדְכֶֽם: / Come, children, hearken to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

   • Talmud: Tractate Beitzah (2a - 4a)

3. 3. Sefirah Combination ✨

   • Day 1 of Week 12: Chesed shebeHod shebeGevurah (Loving-kindness within Acknowledgement within Discipline).

4. 4. Kabbalah of Time Weekly Focus 📖

   • Song for the Day (Book 1, Week 12 - Perek Shirah): "The raven is saying, 'Who prepares food for the raven, when his young ones cry out to G-d?' (Job 38:41)."

5. 5. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov & Jewish Spiritual Practices 🔥

   • Light and Fire: Page 77 - The Besht in Tlust formed a separate minyan (prayer quorum) because in other synagogues the poor sat separately and rarely received any honors. The Besht understood how precious poor, simple people were in Hashem's eyes.

   • Spiritual Practices: Pages 154 and 155 - Visualizing oneself in the Temple; Visualizing oneself in Heaven.

6. 6. Tanach Study 👑

   • Book of Isaiah, Chapters 8 and 9: These chapters contain prophecies regarding the Assyrian threat, the birth of the future king, and the great light that will shine upon the land of Zebulun and Naphtali—messages of both judgment and ultimate salvation.

7. 7. Mishnah ⚖️

   • Tractate Pesachim, Chapters 2 and 3: Discuss the laws of searching for and destroying chametz (leaven) before Passover, emphasizing the meticulous discipline required in preparation for G-d's ultimate act of deliverance (the Exodus).

8. 8. 13-Attribute Combination  📜

   • Tonight is Day 13 of 13-Day Cycle 6.

   • 13th Attribute: ... מִימֵי קֶדֶם / ...mimei kedem — from the earliest days.

   • Relevant Attribute (6th): כִּי חָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא/ ki chafetz chesed hu — for He desires kindness.

9. 9. 41-Day Combination 🧼

   • Focus: Tonight is Day 37 of 41-Day Cycle 3.

   • Theme: Understanding the 10th Commandment (Not to Envy) on the first level - spiritually - connected to the attribute of Chayah and the world of Atzilus, all while keeping in mind the campaign of Kashrut (Cheshvan/Kislev).

10. 10. Living Likutei Moharan 🔗

    • Torah 79, for the 15th of Kislev, is about how a person should see that the delay in the coming of Mashiach is not due to them; a person must do Teshuva and fix their deeds. Every Tzadik has a manifestation of Mashiach or at least an attribute of Mashiach, which is an aspect of Moshe. Moshe, the Faithful Shepherd (Raya Mehemna), had self-sacrifice for the Jewish people because he truly knew his lowliness, and also knew the importance and great qualities of Israel. A person can recognize their lowliness on Shabbat, when they do complete Teshuvah, which is Shabbat.

11. 11. Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 🛐

    • Siman 155 - To go from the Synagogue to the House of Study: Deals with the importance of fixing a time for Torah study immediately after prayer, and the permission to eat a morning meal (pat shacharit) beforehand.

    • Siman 156 - The Arrangement of Buying and Selling: Instructs one to go to work after prayer and study, stressing that work should be secondary (arai) and Torah study permanent (kavua). It emphasizes honest business practices and caution regarding unnecessary oaths.

12. 12. Zohar  💎

    • Folio 177: The Power of Offerings and the Pain of Exile (Chapter 23): The primary cause of exile is identified as Israel's failure to serve God "with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart" when they had abundance.

    • Folio 178: King David's Midnight Devotion (Chapter 29): King David rose at midnight to sing praises, ensuring that God and the righteous listen to his prayers, earning him a "thread of grace" during the day.

13. 13. Shovavim Cycle: Parasha Vayishlach (#8) 🕊️

    • Cycle Day: Day 6 (Mem Sofit, Arizal (Mikvah), Eliyahu) of Parasha 2 (Vav, Aharon (Avodah)) of Cycle 2 (Vav, Aharon (Avodah)).

14. 14. Parasha: Today we will learn from Mesilat Yesharim 🧘

• Chapter 3: Vigilance (Zehirut) —Its Components and How to Acquire It:

• Conclusion: A person must constantly use their intellect to contemplate the true path of the Torah, and then use that knowledge to reflect on their own deeds to ascertain if they are on that path. This is the surest way to purify oneself and correct one's ways.

• Vayishlach Connection: Jacob, before meeting Esau, takes detailed precautions: he divides his camp (preparing for the worst), he prays (seeking divine counsel), and he sends gifts (seeking to appease).

• The Link: Jacob's calculated preparation is an ancient, supreme example of Vigilance (Zehirut). He is not walking blindly; he is treating his encounter with the hostile Esau as a danger requiring counsel and strategy, exactly as the Ramchal urges us to treat our spiritual enemies. Jacob is, in effect, performing a spiritual accounting of his situation before confronting the "darkness" of his brother.

15. 15. M'Ein Ganim (P. 78) - The importance of realizing that "the world was created for me" and that one can and should always start anew.