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In the English Mishna Brurah they translate טשי"ך as chess. The Mishna Brurah brings the Marah Sasson who forbids it because there is no chachma. It is also mentioned in the Rama that it makes noise, and as far as I know chess does not involve noise? Also, the Aruch Hashulchan says the pieces hit each other, he also gives another name for the game (מייליסקע"ס, seems similar to kugalach) not sure if it translates as chess. The Magen Avraham gives yet another name for the game. So, which game does the Rama refer to?

A side point: The gemarah in Kesubas 61b names a game and Rashi calls it chess with the name אישקקי"ש. The common Hebrew name for chess today is שחמט.

Scimonster
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sam
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    http://torahmusings.com/2013/05/chess-in-jewish-law/ – moses Aug 12 '13 at 02:03
  • in russian chess is called shahHmati(i is not ee but closer to i in him). this could be a reason why chess is called shahHmat today. http://translate.google.com/#en/ru/chess you can listen here how it is pronounced. – MoriDowidhYa3aqov Aug 12 '13 at 02:48
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    @MoriDoweedhYa3gob, the name shachmat appears in many languages, all deriving ultimately from Persian/Farsi (or one of its ancestors, like Old Persian. I don't know how old Persian, or this word, is). English chess derives from Persian shah ("king"), the etymon of half of shachmat. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rama's tshich does, too, just based on how it looks, but that's a guess. – msh210 Aug 12 '13 at 05:19
  • @msh210 shahH means check and mat means mate in russian.shahHmat means check mate. – MoriDowidhYa3aqov Aug 12 '13 at 14:10
  • @MoriDoweedhYa3gob, or maybe "checkmate" is an English derivative of шахматы. – Seth J Aug 12 '13 at 16:17
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    @MoriDoweedhYa3gob, SethJ, checkmate also comes from Persian and is cognate to other languages' shachmat. Check is from Persian shah. – msh210 Aug 12 '13 at 16:50
  • @msh210, that's more or less what I mean - шахматы doesn't derive from the English. Whatever the direct source, Russian or Persian, English derived it from another language, not the other way around. – Seth J Aug 14 '13 at 19:52
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    Your idea about kugelach is correct. It was historically played with טשי"ך bones (perhaps that's why the game is commonly called "jacks"). Several early acharonim discuss this bone in the context of hilchos t'reifos. Also, the term used by the Aruch HaShulchan sounds kind of like the Lithuanian for "malleolus of the ankle". – Fred Jan 15 '15 at 03:55
  • The name mentioned in the shiltei giborim is בריקיקלי. He lived in Italy. – user6591 Jan 21 '15 at 23:53
  • Where is this Shiltei Gibborim? – sam Jan 22 '15 at 01:52
  • @user6591 That's possibly related to the modern word for a "knucklebone" in Dutch ("bikkel") or West Flemish ("pekkel"). This Shiltei Giborim is in Eruvin (35b in dapei haRif, אות ג). – Fred Jan 27 '15 at 22:10
  • @Fred Nice. A quick search for a polish version of knucklebones/marbles came up with szklana kulka. That's pretty close to the Ramma's word. – user6591 Jan 27 '15 at 22:51
  • @user6591 "Szklane kulki" does mean "glass marbles/beads" in Polish (although "marmurki" is the standard term for marbles in Polish). However, games with glass marbles were developed in the 19th century, postdating the Rama, who was talking about a game played with bones (which is how kugelach was historically played). – Fred Jan 27 '15 at 23:18
  • @Fred well i didn't mean it's the same exact item. Just a similar name for a similar game. – user6591 Jan 27 '15 at 23:19
  • @Fred oh no. Slip of the thumb. I meant the shilei hagiborim's word. – user6591 Jan 27 '15 at 23:29
  • @Fred but he was Italian so there goes my theory – user6591 Jan 27 '15 at 23:30
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    @user6591 I also considered בריקיקלי as a corruption of alquerque, but mention of bones points more to knucklebones. The S"G explicitly discusses chess ("שקאק") in a quote from the Or Zarua' later in אות ג. Apparently on this basis, the Magen Avraham (338:8) interprets טשי"ך as chess, although the Rama's mention of "עצמות שקורין טשי"ך" suggests (IMHO) he is citing the earlier part of the S"G about "העצמות שקורין בריקיקלי". Also, other early acharonim describe the טשי"ך as the astragalus bone. – Fred Jan 28 '15 at 06:40
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    @user6591 Also, maybe the S"G was referring to tabula or backgammon, considering his phrasing: "וא״כ אסור לשחוק באותן העצמות שקורין בריקיקלי ע״ג טבלא", since apparently dice were historically also made from talus bones. Then again, maybe both the S"G and the Rama weren't talking about any specific game, but just about playing with dice in general (and mention of a טבלא was only relevant due to noise). (And, to correct my previous comment, the S"G wasn't quoting the Or Zarua' when he mentioned chess). – Fred Jan 28 '15 at 07:08
  • @Fred "Also, other early acharonim describe the טשי"ך as the astragalus bone." Can you please show me which acharonim you found that describe טשיך as the talus bone? You seem to be extremely knowledgeable in the area! – Bach Jun 17 '20 at 02:49
  • I would appreciate if you can provide the references. – Bach Jun 17 '20 at 16:26
  • @Bach See, for example, Bach, Shach, and Taz on YD 55-56 (also citing earlier discussion from Rabbeinu Yerucham, the Rosh, and the Mordechai), and Maharshal on Chullin (4:11-12). – Fred Sep 18 '20 at 21:11
  • @Fred wow I posted that question like months ago! In any case, I'll be sure to check out these references. Thanks for getting back! – Bach Sep 18 '20 at 22:22

1 Answers1

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In the Dirshu Mishna Berura (based on the "Leshem") print, it is translated in a footnote as a game similar to "חמש אבנים" (lit. five stones) - when I was a kid it was called kuglach. It's similar to the game of jacks.

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