Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Exodus 27:9/אבן עזרא על שמות כ״ז:ט׳
אועשית. מצאנו כתוב קדמה מזרחה (למטה פ' יג), וידענו כי ראשי המזרחים שלשה, האחת כנגד נקודת ראש מזל גדי, שהוא סוף נטות השמש בפאת דרום והשני כנגד הקו השוה שהוא ראש טלה ומאזנים והשלישי כנגד ראש סרטן שהוא סוף נטות השמש לצפון, וככה נגבה תימנה דרום:
1AND THOU SHALT MAKE. We find that Scripture says, kedemah mizrachah (on the east side eastward) (v. 13).29. Now since both kedem and mizrach mean east, Scripture should have read kedemah or mizrachah. The question thus arises, why did Scripture employ the phrase kedemah mizrachah? I.E. brings up this issue here since Scripture uses the phrase negev temanah (south…southwards). Here too the question arises, why employ the phrase negev temanah when both negev and teman mean south? We know that there are three “heads” to the east.30 The first is opposite the point of the head of Capricorn,31 which is the furthermost southern position of the sun. The second32 is opposite the celestial equator, which is the head of Aries and Libra.33 The third is opposite the head of Cancer, which is the sun’s furthermost northern position.34 refers to the middle portion of the eastern sky. So Krinsky. I.E. comments thus because in his opinion the tabernacle corresponded to the heavens. Thus kedemah mizrachah corresponded to a certain portion of the heavens. Weiser claims that kedemah mizrachah refers to the entire eastern side. The same applies to the phrase negbah temanah (south…southward)35. I.E. used the term negbah temanah because verse 18 reads kedemah mizrachah. in the south.36 refers to the middle portion of the southern sky. So Krinsky. For other interpretations see Weiser.
בותימנה. מגזרת ימין צפון וימין אתה בראתם (תה' פט יג):
2SOUTHWARD. The word temanah (southward)37 (south). comes from the same root as yamin (south). Compare, The north and the south (yamin), Thou hast created them (Ps. 89:13).