Reference for Menachot 196:14

מכלל דכולהו לאו לפני ה' ואי סלקא דעתך צפון ודרום כולהו נמי לפני ה' נינהו

And what is the reason for the view of R'Eleazar son of R'Simeon? - He derives it from the ark: as the ark stood [lengthwise in the direction of] north and south, so these also stood [lengthwise] from north to south. And why does not Rabbi derive it from the ark? - One may infer [an object that stood] outside<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Holy of Holies.');">¹⁸</span>

Jastrow