Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played the half-Vulcan Spock on Star Trek, devised the Vulcan Salute, consisting of a raised hand, palm forward with the fingers parted between the middle and ring finger. The Salute first appeared on the original Star Trek series in the second season opening episode, "Amok Time". The gesture is famously difficult for most people to do without practice, and actors on the original show would often have to position their fingers off-screen, manually, using both hands, before raising their hand into frame.

The best way is to hold your hand in front of you with all the fingers together. Then, slowly move the ring and little finger to the side, while holding them together, and also holding the other three fingers together. Then, when they have gone as far as seems possible, slowly move the thumb to the side. It becomes quite easy with practice. Another way is to do the vulcan salute, except hold your little finger ,with your thumb, down. Then slowly let go of the thinger and move it next to the ring finger, then place your thumb to the side.

In his autobiography, I Am Spock, Nimoy has said that he based it on the Priestly Blessing performed by Jewish Kohanim with both hands, thumb to thumb in this same position, representing the Hebrew letter Shin (ש), which has three upward strokes similar to the position of the thumb and fingers in the salute. The letter Shin here stands for Shaddai, meaning "Almighty (God)" and has mystical significance in Judaism.

Also in I Am Spock, Nimoy explains how, when he was a child, his grandfather took him to an Orthodox synagogue. There he saw the blessing performed, and was very impressed by it.

Nimoy also coined the accompanying spoken blessing, "Live long and prosper" (Dif-tor heh smusma in Vulcan language as spoken in The Motion Picture). The lesser-known response is "Peace and long life." This format is similar to (and probably based upon) the Hebrew greeting, "Shalom aleichem" (peace be upon you) and its reply, "Aleichem shalom" (upon you be peace).

Also known as the "Spocker", in allusion to the Shocker.

See also

• References to Star Trek, where movies and television shows referencing Star Trek by using the Vulcan salute can be found.

• The Jewish Origin of the Vulcan Salute -- a very complete page by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom, with photos and diagrams of how the Salute forms the Hebrew letter Shin, the use of the Blessing Hands gesture on Jewish gravestones and jewelry, etc.

External links

Star Trek terms | Gestures | Vulcans | Greetings