Vulcan salute

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

The Vulcan salute is a hand gesture used by Vulcans. It involves holding the palm of one's right hand outwards while placing the fingers in a "V" shaped by separating the middle and ring fingers, while keeping the others together.

The salute is part of both Vulcan greetings and Vulcan farewells. The formal phrase associated with the the salute in both cases is "Live long and prosper". (Star Trek: First Contact; TOS: "Amok Time")

When parties take their leave of each other, one may use the phrase "Peace and long life" and still receive "Live long and prosper" as a reply. (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?", "The Savage Curtain"; TNG: "Sarek", "Unification I") Alternately, each party may simply state to the other "Live long and prosper, (name)." (TOS: "Amok Time"; VOY: various episodes)

In Vulcan language, "Live long and prosper" is pronounced "Dup dor a'az Mubster". (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

In diplomatic situations, the greeting used is "I/We (depending on situation) come to serve", possibly prefaced by the statement of the initiators' name. The response is "Your service honors us." (TOS: "Journey to Babel"; TNG: "Data's Day", "Sarek", "Unification I")

In 2151, an ornament of Surak performing the Vulcan salute with both hands was displayed aboard the Vahklas, a Vulcan civilian transport ship. Unlike other Vulcan salutes, Surak's hands were not held upright. (ENT: "Fusion")

Several Humans greeted Vulcans with this gesture, including Captain Jonathan Archer in 2154 (ENT: "Kir'Shara") and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 2368. (TNG: "Unification I")

As a practical joke, Tom Paris and Harry Kim once reprogrammed Tuvok's security console so that it said "live long and prosper" whenever he accessed the internal sensors. They also reprogrammed his replicator the same way. (VOY: "Revulsion")

[edit] Background

The Vulcan salute was devised by Leonard Nimoy, based on a gesture made by various Jewish denominations, including Orthodox and Conservative. Nimoy learned the gesture, which takes practice to do, from visiting his grandfather's synagogue as a child. The gesture forms the Hebrew letter "Shin" and represents the name Shaddai, which means "Almighty (God)." The hand gesture originally was used by the Kohanim (Hebrew "priests"), the Jewish priesthood, during a blessing ceremony on certain Jewish holy days. The blessing is now common in synagogues throughout the world and not only on special holidays and is not limited to clergy.

The Jewish blessing is done with both hands, with arms extended upward at roughly a 45-degree angle, rather than one hand held upright as in the Salute. The blessing is found in Numbers 6:22 of the Old Testament where God tells Aaron, Moses' brother, the first High Priest, to bless the Israelites and say, "May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." (There are numerous common translations).

The grammatical format of the salutation is very similar to (and probably based upon) the Hebrew greeting, "Shalom Aleichem" (peace be upon you) and its usual reply, "Aleichem Shalom" (upon you be peace). There also the Arabic version (As-salamu 'alaikum) and the Yiddish version (şolem aleyxem) of it, with roughly the same meaning.

William Shatner may not be able to produce the Vulcan Salute. If you look closely at his hands in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock when he performs the salute, it appears that fishing line holds two of his fingers together. In TV Land's "The 100 Greatest TV Quotes & Catchphrases", Shatner described the salute as a benediction, comparing it to the sign of the cross.

As an injoke, one of the gestures of the M-9 sign language is similar to the Vulcan salute. (TNG: "Loud As A Whisper")

[edit] External links

• 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.

• Names of God in Judaism at Wikipedia shows a clear illustration of the Judaic origin of the Vulcan salute