> ISHINAN: It is definitely a faulty etymology, explained as a linguistic
> blend of two words "Shadow" Z.ll and "death" Mwt. While in reality
> it means darkness Z.ulumat (the plural of Z.almah; a simple rule of
> Semitic grammar). In any case, the verse has nothing to do with 'death'
> nor 'shadow'. So, why is this citation used during burial rituals? The
> only answer I can come up with is that the word has been grossly
> misinterpreted.
> Ishinan Ishibashi