לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פַּפָּא לִשְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיוּ לָהֶם שְׁנֵי כּוֹרִין אֶחָד שֶׁל חִטִּים וְאֶחָד שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִים, אָמַר אֶחָד מֵהֶן לַחֲבֵרוֹ אִם אַתְּ שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִים אֲנִי שֶׁל חִטִּים, אִם אֲנִי שֶׁל חִטִּים אַתְּ שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִים, כָּל עִקָּר אֲנִי נוֹטֵל שֶׁל חִטִּים. כָּךְ אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לְלוֹט (בראשית יג, ט): אִם הַשְֹּׂמֹאל וְאֵימִנָה וְאִם הַיָּמִין וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּרַבִּי יִצְחָק אֶשְׂמֹאלָה אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא אַשְׂמְאִילָה, אֲפִלּוּ אַתְּ מַחְצַף אֲנָא מַשְׂמְאִיל לָךְ. רַבִּי כַּד הֲוָה סָלֵיק בַּר נָשׁ לְדִינָא קֳדָמוֹהִי אִין הֲוָה שָׁמַע לְדִינָא הֲוָה טָבָאוּת, וְאִי לָא, הֲוָה אָמַר לְבַר בֵּיתֵיהּ אַשְׂמִיל לֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה מְכַוֵּין וּמַחֲמֵי לֵיהּ קְטִיף מִן הָדֵין גִּיסָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, זֶה יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לא, יז): וַיָּקָם יַעֲקֹב וַיִּשָֹּׂא אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת נָשָׁיו וגו'. וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, זֶה עֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לו, ו): וַיִּקַּח עֵשָׂו אֶת נָשָׁיו וְאֶת בָּנָיו.
“The heart of the wise is to his right, and the heart of a fool is to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). “The heart of the wise is to his right…” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: [This is analogous] to two people who had two kor, one of wheat and one of barley. One of them said to the other: ‘If yours is of barley mine is of wheat, and if mine is of wheat yours is of barley. In any case, I am taking the one of wheat.’ So, Abraham said to Lot: “If to the left, I will go to the right, and if to the right, I will go to the left [asme’ila]” (Genesis 13:9). Rabbi Ḥanina ben Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is not written here “esmola,” but rather “asme’ila.” Even if you are impertinent, I will cause you to go to the left. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi], when a person would enter for judgment before him, if [the party that lost the case] would obey the ruling that would be fine, and if not, [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] would say to a member of his household: ‘Cause him to go left’; and he would signal and show him that he should strike him from the other side. Another matter: “The heart of the wise is to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is stated: “Jacob arose and placed his sons and his wives [upon the camels]” (Genesis 31:17). “And the heart of a fool is to his left” – this is the wicked Esau, as it is stated: “Esau took his wives, his sons, [and his daughters]” (Genesis 36:6).