The Mossad – Israel’s premier intelligence agency – is famous for conducting some of the most daring and surprising undercover missions in the world.
The word Mossad in Hebrew – מוֹסָד– means institution or institute.
Referring to the intelligence agency, we say literally, The Institute – הַמּוֹסָד.
For example, educational institutions are מוֹסְדוֹת חִנּוּכִיִּם(though מוסד is a masculine noun, it takes on a feminine suffix when used in the plural).
מוסד comes from the root י.ס.ד (y.s.d) meaning foundation – an institution has been instituted or founded.
To institute is לְמַסֵּד, an active-intensive פִּעֵל verb.
For example:
In the government (people are) trying to institute a mandatory draft for everyone.
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