Our exploration begins with the verse, "Much livestock..." a seemingly simple phrase that Bamidbar Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Numbers, uses as a springboard for a much deeper dive.

The rabbis connect “much livestock” to another verse, this time from Ecclesiastes (10:2): “The heart of the wise is to his right, and the heart of the fool is to his left.” But what does "right" and "left" mean in this context?

One interpretation offered in Bamidbar Rabbah equates the "right" with the yetzer hatov, the good inclination, and the "left" with the yetzer hara, the evil inclination. The yetzer hatov guides us toward righteousness, while the yetzer hara tempts us toward immediate gratification. So, are we listening to the angel on our right shoulder, or the one on our left?

Another interpretation sees the "right" as representing those who devote themselves to Torah, which Deuteronomy (33:2) describes as, "From His right, a fiery law to them." Conversely, the "left" represents those focused on wealth, echoing Proverbs (3:16): "On its left, wealth and honor." It's not that wealth is inherently bad, but rather, where does our focus lie? What do we truly value?

But perhaps the most compelling interpretation involves Moses and the tribes of Reuben and Gad. Remember their story? They saw the fertile lands east of the Jordan River and, prioritizing their livestock, asked Moses if they could settle there. "We will build sheep enclosures for our livestock here, and cities for our children," they said (Numbers 32:16).

Moses, however, saw the inherent flaw in their request. They were prioritizing their possessions over their commitment to the community and the conquest of the Promised Land. He rebuked them, saying they should first build cities for their children (Numbers 32:24), and then enclosures for their flocks.

In this reading, Moses embodies the "heart of the wise" on the right, while Reuben and Gad represent the "heart of the fool" on the left. They valued their property more than the lives and the mission of the Israelite people. Bamidbar Rabbah drives home the point: prioritizing material possessions over spiritual and communal obligations ultimately leads to a lack of blessing. God effectively tells them that since they valued their livestock more than lives, there would be no blessing in it. This connects to Proverbs (20:21): "An estate seized hastily at the start, its end will not be blessed."

The passage concludes with a powerful reminder: "Do not weary yourself to become rich; based on your discerning, cease" (Proverbs 23:4). True wealth, it suggests, isn't about accumulating possessions but about finding contentment with what we have. "Who is wealthy?" the text asks. "It is one who rejoices in his share," echoing Psalms (128:2): "When you eat of the labor of your hands, you are happy and it is good for you."

So, where does this leave us? Perhaps the key takeaway is this: life is a constant balancing act. We are always faced with choices that pull us in different directions. Are we prioritizing the "right," the things that truly matter – our values, our community, our spiritual growth? Or are we being swayed by the allure of the "left," the fleeting pleasures and material possessions that ultimately leave us empty? It's a question worth pondering, a question that resonates just as powerfully today as it did when these words were first written.