Rabbi Yonassan Gershom takes a look at the Jewish origins of Spock’s Vulcan salute which debuted in the Star Trek episode “Amok Time”.
The Vulcan greeting is based upon a blessing gesture used by the kohanim (koe-hah-NEEM) during the worship service. The kohanim are the genealogical descendants of the Jewish priests who served in the Jerusalem Temple.
Rabbi Gershom runs the website TrekJews.com and has written a book on “Jewish Themes in Star Trek”.
On an Archive of American Television interview Leonard Nimoy explains how he created the Vulcan salute for Star Trek which came from his Jewish heritage.
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Speaking of which, I’m pretty sure Zachary Quinto can’t do the Vulcan hand salute! The one time he does it in the film, his hand is shot at a 3/4 view which seemed to me was used to disguise how little space he could get between his middle and ring fingers!
I suspect you’re right, Felix! I read somewhere — probably just on IMDb — that JJ Abrams actually glued Zachary Quinto’s fingers together for the Vulcan salute.
lovely….
Celia Lovesky, who played T’Pau in the “Amok Time” episode, couldn’t do it either. She had to place her fingers in place just before the camera rolled. And in “STIII: The Search for Spock,” Shatner apparently can’t do it either, because it looks as if his fingers are tied together with fishing line! (Oh, the wonders of the pause button).
BTW, thanks for the plug for my book and website. Please do visit and read my take on the new movie. Live long and prosper!
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