In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “dob baer or dobh baer”. Today it says “disciple of rabbi israel ben eliezer”. 1 section present on 6 October 2023 is absent today.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Dovber of Mezeritch (died 1772 ) was the primary disciple of Israel ben Eliezer , the Baal Shem Tov , the founder of Hasidic Judaism (now a form of Orthodox Judaism .) Dovber is considered the first apostle of Hasidism and its most important propagator; he was born in Volhynia in 1710; died in Meseritz, Dec. 15, 1772. Due to the many transliteration schemes in use, his name can be rendered in English characters in many ways: The most common ways are Dovber or Dov ber; rarely used forms are Dob Baer or Dobh Baer. The name of the town he is from can be rendered in English characters as Mezeritch, Mezritch, or Mezhirech; all spellings are equally common. The spelling Meseritz is less commonly used. Known as the Maggid ( Hebrew language for "The Voice") to Hasidic Jews , since he "voiced" the words of his master and spread the word of Hasidism over Eastern Europe . His teachings are quoted in the volume Maggid Devarav L'Yaakov . His students included Rabbi Elimelech of Lezhinsk , Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli , Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Berdichev, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi and many other prominent Jewish leaders.1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16059360.
The opening as it stood in 2010 7 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch ( דוב בער ממזריטש ) (1700/1704/1710(?) – 4 December 1772 OS ) was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov , the founder of Hasidic Judaism , and was chosen as his successor to lead the early movement.Rabbi Dov Ber is regarded as the first systematic exponent of the mystical philosophy underlying the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and through his teaching and leadership, the main architect of the movement .He established his base in Mezhirichi (in Volynia ), which moved the centre of Hasidism from the Baal Shem Tov's Medzhybizh (in Podolia ), where he focused his attention on raising a close circle of great disciples to spread the movement.After his passing, avoiding the unified leadership of the first two generations, this third generation of leadership took their different interpretations and disseminated across appointed regions of Eastern Europe.Under the inspiration of their teacher, this rapidly spread Hasidism beyond the Ukraine , to Poland , Galicia and Russia .His teachings appear in Magid Devarav L'Yaakov , Or Torah , Likutim Yekarim , Or Ha'emet , Kitvei Kodesh , Shemuah Tovah , and in the works authored by his disciples.His inner circle of disciples, known as the Chevraia Kadisha ("Holy Brotherhood"), included his son Rabbi Avraham HaMalach (The Angel), Rabbi Nachum of Czernobyl , Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk , Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol , Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev , Rabbi Boruch of Medzhybizh , Rabbi Aharon (HaGadol) of Karlin , Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk , and Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . see Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 368622960.
The opening as it stood in 2015
Rabbi Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch ( ) (died December 1772 OS ), also known as the Maggid of Mezritch , was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov , the founder of Hasidic Judaism , and was chosen as his successor to lead the early movement. Rabbi Dov Ber is regarded as the first systematic exponent of the mystical philosophy underlying the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and through his teaching and leadership, the main architect of the movement. He established his base in Mezhirichi (in Wołyń ), which moved the centre of Hasidism from the Baal Shem Tov's Medzhybizh (in Podolia ), where he focused his attention on raising a close circle of great disciples to spread the movement. After his death, avoiding the unified leadership of the first two generations, this third generation of leadership took their different interpretations and disseminated across appointed regions of Eastern Europe. Under the inspiration of their teacher, this rapidly spread Hasidism beyond the Ukraine , to Poland , Galicia and Russia . His teachings appear in Magid Devarav L'Yaakov , Or Torah , Likutim Yekarim , Or Ha'emet , Kitvei Kodesh , Shemuah Tovah , and in the works authored by his disciples. His inner circle of disciples, known as the Chevraia Kadisha ("Holy Brotherhood"), included his son Rabbi Avraham HaMalach (The Angel), Rabbi Nachum of Czernobyl , Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk , Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol , Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev , Rabbi Boruch of Medzhybizh , Rabbi Aharon (HaGadol) of Karlin , Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk , Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg and Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . see Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 665651443.
The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch ( ; died December 1772 OS ), also known as the Maggid of Mezritch , was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov , the founder of Hasidic Judaism , and was chosen as his successor to lead the early movement. Dov Ber is regarded as the first systematic exponent of the mystical philosophy underlying the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and through his teaching and leadership, the main architect of the movement. He established his base in Mezhirichi (in Volhynia ), which moved the centre of Hasidism from the Baal Shem Tov's Medzhybizh (in Podolia ), where he focused his attention on raising a close circle of great disciples to spread the movement. After his death, avoiding the unified leadership of the first two generations, this third generation of leadership took their different interpretations and disseminated across appointed regions of Eastern Europe. Under the inspiration of their teacher, this rapidly spread Hasidism beyond Ukraine , to Poland , Galicia and Russia . His teachings appear in Magid Devarav L'Yaakov , Or Torah , Likutim Yekarim , Or Ha'emet , Kitvei Kodesh , Shemuah Tovah , and in the works authored by his disciples. His inner circle of disciples, known as the Chevraia Kadisha ("Holy Brotherhood"), included Rabbis Avraham HaMalach (his son), Nachum of Czernobyl , Elimelech of Lizhensk , Zusha of Hanipol , Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev , Boruch of Medzhybizh , Aharon (HaGadol) of Karlin , Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk , Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg and Shneur Zalman of Liadi . see Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 960042904.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Title page of Maggid Devarav L'Yaakov ( Korets , 1781 edition).Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch ( ; died December 1772 OS ), also known as the Maggid of Mezeritch or Mezeritcher Maggid , was a disciple of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov ), the founder of Hasidic Judaism , and was chosen as his successor to lead the early movement. Dov Ber is regarded as the first systematic exponent of the mystical philosophy underlying the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and through his teaching and leadership, the main architect of the movement. He established his base in Mezhirichi (in Volhynia ), which moved the centre of Hasidism from Medzhybizh (in Podolia ), where he focused his attention on raising a close circle of disciples to spread the movement. After his death the third generation of leadership took their different interpretations and disseminated across appointed regions of Eastern Europe, rapidly spreading Hasidism beyond Ukraine , to Poland , Galicia and Russia . His teachings appear in Magid Devarav L'Yaakov , Or Torah , Likutim Yekarim , Or Ha'emet , Kitvei Kodesh , Shemuah Tovah , and in the works authored by his disciples. His inner circle of disciples, known as the Chevraia Kadisha ("Holy Brotherhood"), included Rabbis Avraham HaMalach (his son), Nachum of Czernobyl , Elimelech of Lizhensk , Zusha of Hanipol , Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev , Boruch of Medzhybizh , Aharon (HaGadol) of Karlin , Chaim Chaykl of Amdur , Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk , Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg , Shlomo Flam (the Lutzker Maggid), Asher Zebi of Ostrowo and Shneur Zalman of Liadi . see Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1176615766.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Hasidic rabbi (1704–1772) Title page of Maggid Devarav L'Yaakov ( Korets , 1781 edition).Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch ( Yiddish : דֹב בּער פֿון מעזעריטש ; died December 4, 1772 O.S. ), also known as the Maggid of Mezeritch or Mezeritcher Maggid , was a disciple of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov ), the founder of Hasidic Judaism , and was chosen as his successor to lead the early movement. Dov Ber is regarded as the first systematic exponent of the mystical philosophy underlying the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and through his teaching and leadership, the main architect of the movement. He established his base in Mezhirichi (in Volhynia ), which moved the centre of Hasidism from Medzhybizh (in Podolia ), where he focused his attention on raising a close circle of disciples to spread the movement. After his death the third generation of leadership took their different interpretations and disseminated across appointed regions of Eastern Europe, rapidly spreading Hasidism beyond Ukraine , to Poland , Galicia and Russia . His teachings appear in Magid Devarav L'Yaakov , Or Torah , Likutim Yekarim , Or Ha'emet , Kitvei Kodesh , Shemuah Tovah , and in the works authored by his disciples. His inner circle of disciples, known as the Chevraia Kadisha ("Holy Brotherhood"), included Rabbis Avraham HaMalach (his son), Nachum of Czernobyl , Elimelech of Lizhensk , Zusha of Hanipol , Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev , Boruch of Medzhybizh , Aharon (HaGadol) of Karlin , Chaim Chaykl of Amdur , Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk , Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg , Shlomo Flam (the Lutzker Maggid), Asher Zebi of Ostrowo , Zev Wolf of Zhitomyr , and Shneur Zalman of Liadi . see Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg.
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Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “dob baer or dobh baer”. Today it says “disciple of rabbi israel ben eliezer”. 1 section present on 6 October 2023 is absent today. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
dob baer or dobh baer
Now
disciple of rabbi israel ben eliezer
Sections that no longer exist
Present on October 6, 2023, absent today, with no near-matching heading in the current article and the article shorter overall, so this is not a renamed heading or a topic absorbed into a fuller treatment. 1 section of 400 characters or more gone since October 6 2023, with the article 2,250 characters shorter.
Spreading Hasidism
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
