Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 25:30/אבן עזרא על שמות כ״ה:ל׳
אונתת. על דרך הפשט נקרא לחם הפנים בעבור הפירוש שהוא אחריו, ומה שאמרו קדמונינו אמת הוא כי הקערות כמו דפוס:
1AND THOU SHALT SET UP UPON THE TABLE SHOWBREAD. According to the plain meaning of the text, the bread was called showbread238. because of the explanation which follows it.239 (lekhem ha-panim) before Me alway. According to I.E. this indicates that lekhem ha-panim means bread that is placed before [God]. In other words, according to I.E., the word panim is similar to the word li-fene. That which the sages said is also true,240 (literally, bread of faces) because it was baked in a mold with the two sides open. Hence the bread was said to have two faces or surfaces directed to the two sides of the sanctuary (Cohen). See Menachot 94b and Soncino’s notes there. Also see Rashi on verses 29 and 30. as the ka’arot (dishes) were molds.241 94a and Rashi on verse 29.