Why on Chanukah do we play with a dreidel and on Purim a gragger?

 

The miracle of Chanukah was above the laws of nature. The Jewish people were the minority and the Greeks were the majority; we were the weak and they were the strong. Nevertheless, thanks to heavenly intervention, the miracle took place and the Jews were the victors.

On Purim, the miracle was clothed entirely within the laws of nature. The Jewish people gathered in prayer and fasting. Esther pleaded their case before the king. Out of love for his Queen, he killed Haman her arch enemy.

Since the miracle of Chanukah came down from above, we spin the dreidel with the handle on top. The miracle of Purim was through an awakening from below consequently we turn the gragger with the handle below.

On the dreidel there are four Hebrew letters Nun Gimel Hay Shin.

This is an abbreviation for "A great miracle took place there." The letters nun gimel hay shin have the numerical value of 358, which is also the numerical value of the word Mashiach. We eagerly await his arrival, and it is the great miracle which we all want to see now!!