10 Behind The Scenes Reasons For Star Trek Characters' Quirks
3. Nimoy Paid Attention In Temple
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.