Beitza 29b
1- Our Gemara discusses the re-sifting of flour on Yom Tov.
The purpose of it is only to improve its appearance. If it makes the flour finer then it would be prohibited.
The Gemara relates several stories of women that re-sifted flour with a ‘shinui’. Wives of Rav Yosef and Rav Ashi.
2- We moved to the next Mishna where instruction are given on how to buy on Yom Tov without mentioning weight, price or amounts.
3- We began the next Perek with the Mishna discussing on how to transport or move heavy food objects such as barrels of wine.
Point to ponder: One has the option of either making many trips of small loads or fewer trips with a heavier loads.
Which is the better choice?
4- We diverted to talk (again) about the Tiferes Yisroel.
English
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Lipschitz
Hebrew
5- His famous writing concerning the idea if the world we live in has existed before!
תפארת ישראל – דרוש אור החיים
He quotes many sources that state that our world had existed for 6,000 years, destroyed and then repopulated. This happened already 3 times, we are in the fourth time around with 3 more to go for a total of 7!
Hence the discovery of dinosaur bones. Hence the many sciences that conclude the age of the world as more than 6,000 years.
6- The Munkatcher was so upset at him for writing this (despite respecting him for his scholastic achievements) that he removed his books from his house…..
המנח”א הוציאו מביתו!
http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1859&pgnum=165
See more here
http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=13592&pgnum=205
7- We learnt the text of the Maamor of the Alter Rebbe in תורה אור ד”ה מי שם פה.
http://beta.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=16069&st=&pgnum=110
The AR writes that there were some Mekubolim that were of the opinion that this world had already existed once before (only). Nevertheless, the prevailing opinion is that of the Ariza”l that this prior existence was a spiritual only. Additionally, there will be no ‘new world’ after this one reaches 6,000 years.
So relax, no physical world existed prior to this one. We’re on first…….
Next week – another very controversial piece of the Tiferes Isroel.