The Lord bless you and make you live long and prosper

May 19, 2009 by Gene Veith

You know Spock’s Vulcan salute? This site reports that Leonard Nimoy modeled the gesture after a blessing he witnessed at a Jewish synagogue. It turns out that the sign, done with both hands, traditionally accompanies the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:23-26: “The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Here it is pictured on a synagogue in Essen, Germany:

Jewish/Vulcan blessing

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Booklover

I love that benediction, received weekly in my childhood church. It is one of the greatest things I miss about that church. Prounounced benedictions are such a blessing, setting one’s mind at rest.

Is Nimoy of Jewish beliefs? Or just by heritage?
Booklover

I love that benediction, received weekly in my childhood church. It is one of the greatest things I miss about that church. Prounounced benedictions are such a blessing, setting one’s mind at rest.

Is Nimoy of Jewish beliefs? Or just by heritage?
Rev. Paul T. McCain

I heard Nimoy interviewed and he told how he came up with this hand gesture. He said as a child attending Orthodox Jewish synagogue, the people turned around to face away from the rabbi while he made this symbol for the Holy Name of God, and that he would take a quick peek. He saw the rabbi holding his hands in the sign for the Hebrew letter “shin” which begins the word “Shaddai” or Almighty.
Rev. Paul T. McCain

I heard Nimoy interviewed and he told how he came up with this hand gesture. He said as a child attending Orthodox Jewish synagogue, the people turned around to face away from the rabbi while he made this symbol for the Holy Name of God, and that he would take a quick peek. He saw the rabbi holding his hands in the sign for the Hebrew letter “shin” which begins the word “Shaddai” or Almighty.
DonS

Nimoy was orthodox? My, how he strayed in later life.
DonS

Nimoy was orthodox? My, how he strayed in later life.
Efrem

It is just funny that a lot of Sci-Fi stuff comes from jewish and chiristian teaching. People today might proclaim themsleves agnostic and atheistic, but every time I see the scenes from Comic-Con in San Diego, I feel that this people yearn for somebody that has superpowers. I think that Romans 1:23 said it best: “…And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.”
Efrem

It is just funny that a lot of Sci-Fi stuff comes from jewish and chiristian teaching. People today might proclaim themsleves agnostic and atheistic, but every time I see the scenes from Comic-Con in San Diego, I feel that this people yearn for somebody that has superpowers. I think that Romans 1:23 said it best: “…And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.”
WebMonk

Hey, it’s not just non-Christians who like superheros! I am a big Batman fan, though recently (10 years) the comic has gotten far too difficult to follow except for a truly hard-core fan.
WebMonk

Hey, it’s not just non-Christians who like superheros! I am a big Batman fan, though recently (10 years) the comic has gotten far too difficult to follow except for a truly hard-core fan.