[sw-l] A spock handshape? - Israeli sign language connection.

[Charles Butler]

How did the Spock handshape originate?

In the Hebrew Orthodox Yom Kippur service, the priests hold out their hands in an ages-old blessing using this handshape on both hands.

The shape is meant to recall the letter Shin, the first letter in "Shaddai" which is the Hebrew name translated "Almighty" in English and of "Shalom" (peace, prosperity).

When the originators of modern Israeli sign language were creating handshapes to match the Hebrew letters, they chose a different configuration (the 06 handshape) rather than ancient Hebrew priests had used (the 05 handshape), though they were working with the same origin point, the Hebrew written printed alphabet.

Modern Russian also uses this letter, and the Russian fingerspelling uses the same handshape as modern Israeli fingerspelling.


Valerie Sutton <sutton at signwriting.org> wrote:
SignWriting List
September 29, 2004

Charles - I am planning to answer Signuno shortly about the symbol he
needs, and your diagram attached to this message is the symbol and I
will explain next message...

but your first message confused me because you showed the 6 hand and I
thought you were searching for the 6 hand...why did you bring up
Israeli Sign language...I didn't understand your original question...

Anyway look for my answer to Signuno next -

Val ;-)

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