10 Behind The Scenes Reasons For Star Trek Characters' Quirks

3. Nimoy Paid Attention In Temple

Spock Original Series
CBS

The famous Vulcan salute first appeared in Star Trek in the 1967 episode Amok Time. This served as the episode that introduced many different aspects of the Vulcan society and revealed that once every seven years, Spock is DTF.

Leonard Nimoy was the one who suggested this gesture. In his 1975 autobiography, I Am Not Spock, he wrote 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, which has three upward strokes similar to the position of the thumb and fingers in the gesture.

Nimoy said that, as a child, he had opened his eyes during a part of the ceremony that was meant to be heard and not seen. During this, he observed this blessing and it stuck with him.

The gesture is now one of the most famous in all of pop culture, with Live Long and Prosper being spoken as either a greeting or a farewell. The less common Peace and Long Life can be used as either a pre-cursor or a response.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"