[Avodah] Arbaa Turim - rows or columns?

[Akiva Miller]

.
I had asked:

> This week's parsha (28:17-20) describes the design of the twelve
> jewels of the Choshen, that they are to be in four "turim" of
> three jewels each.
> ...
> ... does anyone have a clue whether these jewels were arranged
> in four rows of three jewels across, or in four columns each
> being four jewels tall?

I found the answer. As I somewhat expected, it is a machlokes, but at least
they expressed an opinion and weren't silent on the question. I found it in
the Encyclopedia Talmudit, volume 1, article titled "Avnei Choshen v'Ephod".

At the top of column 93, they write: "The order of the turim according to
the Pesikta Zutresa (Parshas Tetzaveh, and Chizkuni there) is from right to
left." (Meaning that the four turim are horizontal rows, and the three
jewels of each tur are placed in the Choshen with the first being the
rightmost.) And there is a diagram showing four rows of three jewels each,
Tur 1 being on top, and Tur 4 being on bottom.

Then they write: "Some acharonim (see Minchas Chinuch 99) pictured it from
top to bottom, like this:" And there is a diagram showing four columns of
three jewels each, Tur 1 being on the right, and Tur 4 being on the left.
(Meaning that the four turim are vertical columns, and the three jewels of
each tur are placed in the Choshen with the first being the on top.)

Akiva Miller
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