"Tachbula" — the Mossad and the English words

In the book _By Way of Deception_ Mossad officer Victor Ostrovsky used the translation "deception" for the word _tachbulot_ (which is the plural form of the word _tachbula_ ). The Mossad's motto, as it appeared on the agency's official seal up until the early 2000s, was "by way of deception thou shalt wage war." That line appears in Proverbs 24:6, but there are alternative translations.

When Netanyahu uses the word _tachbulot_ in his speeches, it is sometimes translated into English as "strategems" or "organized plans."

The etymology of the word traces back to the ropes that sailors used in Biblical times to navigate.

When translations like "carefully laid plans" or "wise plans" are used, it gives a very different impression than words like "deception" and "trickery"; but the original model did seem to suggest some very tricky operations, like Stuxnet and Operation Grim Beeper.

That one word can be spun in very different ways, and it's not just a matter of amusement — it relates to the conduct of an entire security agency.

Personally, I find the level of strategy behind some of these operations to be nothing short of inspiring, and I think some of the operatives and strategists behind them actually see a little talent involved in the word.