Psalm 5:12 ESVFor you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
This week we speak of Leonard Nimoy who portrayed the Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock in the Star Trek television series and movies. Did you know that his iconic Vulcan salute had religious beginnings that are used to this very day.
In his autobiography I Am Not Spock, Nimoy 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 (ש), which has three upward strokes similar to the position of the thumb and fingers in the salute. The letter Shin here stands for El Shaddai, meaning "Almighty (God)", as well as for Shekinah and Shalom. Nimoy wrote that when he was a child, his grandfather took him to an Orthodox synagogue, where he saw the blessing performed and was impressed by it.
Mr. Nimoy had the right idea with the utilization of this salute for his Vulcan character, in the fact that we are called to bless others in the name of God the Father and Creator of all. Am I asking that you approach everyone from now on with this greeting, sure if you want to. More importantly is the prayer that you will greet all that you meet with God's Love and God's Blessing.
Live Long and Prosper! This is the day that the Lord has made.
This week we speak of Leonard Nimoy who portrayed the Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock in the Star Trek television series and movies. Did you know that his iconic Vulcan salute had religious beginnings that are used to this very day.
In his autobiography I Am Not Spock, Nimoy 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 (ש), which has three upward strokes similar to the position of the thumb and fingers in the salute. The letter Shin here stands for El Shaddai, meaning "Almighty (God)", as well as for Shekinah and Shalom. Nimoy wrote that when he was a child, his grandfather took him to an Orthodox synagogue, where he saw the blessing performed and was impressed by it.
Mr. Nimoy had the right idea with the utilization of this salute for his Vulcan character, in the fact that we are called to bless others in the name of God the Father and Creator of all. Am I asking that you approach everyone from now on with this greeting, sure if you want to. More importantly is the prayer that you will greet all that you meet with God's Love and God's Blessing.
Live Long and Prosper! This is the day that the Lord has made.
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| The blessing gesture which was the inspiration for the Vulcan salute |
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_salute
