Pensamento Judaico sobre Números 32:16

Bamidbar Kabbah, 22, quotes Kohelet 10,2, "a wise man's heart is on his right, the fool's on his left." Moses is an example of the first statement, the tribes Reuben Gad and half Menashe, are examples of the fools. The latter had made secondary values their prime concern when they placed more emphasis on the welfare of their property than on the value of their persons. They said to Moses (in this order) "we want to build enclosures for our cattle here, as well as cities for our children." (32,16) Moses said to them: "do not act in this fashion, do the important things first, i.e. build cities for your children; later, construct pens for your sheep and cattle." This is the meaning of "the heart of the wise is on his right side."