24 March—These days the word “trump” usually means a valuable resource that may be used, especially as a surprise, in order to gain an advantage. That’s where trump cards come from. In fact, the very word comes from an old card game called “triumph,” which was shortened in the 16^th century to “trump.”

Back around that time, a “trump” also was an item of minimal value, a trifle, probably a back-formation of “trumpery”—nonsense, trash, trickery—rather than “triumph.”

As a grammatically-shifted verb, “trump” naturally means to use a trump, as in playing a trump card. But—and this is lexicographical gospel—it also means to deceive or cheat, evolved from either the strategic surprise meaning or the trumpery back-formation. Or both.

Sadly, “trump” hasn’t been used in the disreputable sense since the 17^th century. Make that hadn’t been used. Because an eponymous, particularly obnoxious con man extraordinaire should have inspired its resurrection. Hope springs. Remind me.

Moving on, then, from surnames to forenames (also known as first names and Christian names), that logically segues to Hebrew. Well, maybe not specifically Christian names nor logically, but definitely etymologically. The Hebrew words for “son of the right” are “ben yamin.” That has evolved to the name Benjamin, as in Netanyahu. Binyamin or Benjamin Netanyahu is definitely a son of the right. And good for him and Israel. Really.

(“Netanyahu,” by the way, means “God has given” in Hebrew. It was adopted by Benjamin’s grandfather when he immigrated to what was then Palestine. Good name for a secular Jewish politician.)

Bibi Netanyahu, as he’s known, started out very well: impressive architecture and business studies at MIT, consulting with the Boston Consulting Group (where he formed a lasting friendship with Mitt Romney), distinguished service in the Israeli military, success and respect as a diplomat and politician.

And then he spoiled it. I’m not going to speculate on the corruption Bibi has been charged with by Israel’s legal authorities, which may just be politically motivated. But when Netanyahu was Israel’s youthful Ambassador to the United Nations in the 1980s, he was friendly with Fred Trump, an eminently successful property magnate of less than stellar repute. He likely knew Donald, too, the bad apple that didn’t fall far from the tree.

What’s perhaps even more telling about Bibi’s influences, at that same time, he formed a relationship with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson. I won’t speculate on the extent of the relationship, but Bibi has gone on record as referring to Schneerson as “the most influential man of our time.” One wonders what could have inspired such hyperbole. Could it have been Schneerson’s magnificent beard? Or just a sop to ultra-orthodox Israeli Jews to get their votes?

Since I never encountered Schneerson himself, I can’t say anything good or bad about him. But in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s I did encounter his direct disciples more often than I would have wished. These days he’s revered almost as a messiah by his ultra-orthodox sect, Chabad Lubavitch, including the dreaded Litchfield County klavern. Suffice to say, Chabad Lubavitch, like Fred Trump, has a less than stellar reputation.

Getting back to Bibi, then, mentors like Fred Trump and anyone closely associated with Chabad Lubavitch make you wonder if a good person could have been led astray in his impressionable thirties. And the fact that Prime Minister Netanyahu has prevailed on the Knesset (the Israel legislature currently with a safe ultra-sons of the right majority) to nobble the country’s judiciary for what’s obviously his own benefit certainly doesn’t make him look too saintly.

But it must be making Donald Trump envious . . .