When the Same Road Saves One and Trips Another

From when does the handful [of the meal-offering] permit the remainder to be eaten? Rabbi Chanin says: once the fire has taken hold of it. Rabbi Yochanan said: once fire is kindled in the greater part of it. And the reasoning of Rabbi Yochanan is from what is written, "and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace" (Genesis 19:28): when does the furnace send up smoke? Once fire is kindled in the greater part of it. "And he did not know when she lay down and when she arose" (Genesis 19:33). Rabbi Yochanan said: what is the meaning of what is written, "For the ways of the LORD are upright, and the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them" (Hosea 14:10)? This is a parable about Lot and his daughters. They, who intended for the sake of Heaven, "the righteous walk in them"; he, who intended for the sake of sin, "transgressors stumble in them." [The text adds, "and they gave their father wine to drink."] But was he not entirely compelled? It was taught in the name of Rabbi Yose bar Choni: why is there a dot over the letter vav in "and when she arose" (u-ve-kumah) regarding the firstborn daughter? To teach that when she lay down he did not know, [but] when she arose he did know. What was he to do? What was done was already done. The practical difference is that on the next night he should not have drunk wine [again]. "A brother offended is harder to win than a fortified city" (Proverbs 18:19) [and so on]; "he who separates himself seeks his own desire" (Proverbs 18:1) [and so on].