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The opening as it read in 2005

Hillel was a famous Jewish religious leader who lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod ; he is one of the most important figures in Judaic history , associated with the Mishnah and the Talmud .¹ He was the founder of Beit Hillel ( House of Hillel ) school, and the ancestor of the patriarchs who stood at the head of Palestinian Judaism till about the fifth century of the common era. His two best-known statements are probably: "If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I?² And if not now, when?" ( Pirkei Avot 1:14) "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.³ That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary.⁴ Go and study it." ( Babylonian Talmud , tractate Shabbat 31a. See the Ethic of Reciprocity or "The Golden rule ") Hillel was a Babylonian by birth and, according to a later tradition, belonged to the family of David. Nothing definite, however, is known concerning his origin, nor is he anywhere called by his father's name, which may perhaps have been Gamaliel. When Josephus ("Vita," § 38) speaks of Hillel's great-grandson, Simeon ben Gamaliel I., as belonging to a very celebrated family (γένους σφόδρα λαμπροῦ), he probably refers to the glory which the family owed to the activity of Hillel and Gamaliel I. Only Hillel's brother Shebna is mentioned; he was a merchant, whereas Hillel devoted himself to study.⁵ In the Midrash compilation Sifre (Deut. 357) the periods of Hillel's life are made parallel to those in the life of Moses . Both were 120 years old; at the age of forty Hillel went to Palestine; forty years he spent in study; and the last third of his life he passed as the spiritual head of Israel.⁶ Of this artificially constructed biographical sketch this much may be true, that Hillel went to Jerusalem in the prime of his manhood and attained a great age.⁷ His activity of forty years is perhaps historical; and since it began about one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it likely covered the period 30 B.C.E. to 10 C.E.⁸

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The opening as it stood in 2010 8 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Hillel (הלל) (born Babylon traditionally c.110BCE-10CE in Jerusalem ) was a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history . He is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud . Renowned within Judaism as a sage and scholar, he was the founder of the House of Hillel school for Tannaïm (Sages of the Mishnah ) and the founder of a dynasty of Sages who stood at the head of the Jews living in the land of Israel until roughly the fifth century of the Christian Era . He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" and the expression of the ethic of reciprocity , or "Golden Rule": "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah ; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." Hillel lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod and the Roman Emperor Augustus . In the Midrash compilation Sifre (Deut. 357) the periods of Hillel's life are made parallel to those in the life of Moses . Both lived 120 years Deut. 34:7, and at the age of forty Hillel went to the Land of Israel ; forty years he spent in study; and the last third of his life he was the spiritual head of the Jewish people . A biographical sketch can be constructed; that Hillel went to Jerusalem in the prime of his life and attained a great age. His activity of forty years likely covered the period of 30 BCE to 10 CE. Jewish Encyclopedia: Hillel : "His activity of forty years is perhaps historical; and since it began, according to a trustworthy tradition (Shab. 15a), one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it must have covered the period 30 B.C.E. -10 C.E." Pirkei Avot 1:14 Babylonian Talmud , tractate Shabbat 31a. See also the ethic of reciprocity or "The Golden rule ."

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Detail of the Knesset Menorah, Jerusalem: Hillel the Elder teaching a man the meaning of the whole Torah while he stands on one foot Hillel ( Hebrew : הלל; variously called Hillel HaGadol , or Hillel HaZaken , Hillel HaBavli or HaBavli ; born Babylon traditionally c. 110 BCE, died 10 CE in Jerusalem ) was a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history . He is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud . Renowned within Judaism as a sage and scholar, he was the founder of the House of Hillel school for Tannaïm (Sages of the Mishnah ) and the founder of a dynasty of Sages who stood at the head of the Jews living in the land of Israel until roughly the fifth century of the Common Era . He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: (1) "If I am not for myself who is for me? And being for my own self, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" and (2) the expression of the ethic of reciprocity , or " Golden Rule ": "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah ; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." "As Hillel the Elder had stated, whosoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whosoever that saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." Hillel lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod and the Roman Emperor Augustus . In the Midrash compilation Sifre (Deut. 357), the periods of Hillel's life are made parallel to those in the life of Moses . Both lived 120 years (Deut. 34:7), and at the age of forty Hillel went to the Land of Israel ; forty years he spent in study; and the last third of his life he was the spiritual head of the Jewish people . A biographical sketch can be constructed; that Hillel went to Jerusalem in the prime of his life and attained a great age. His activity of forty years likely covered the period of 30 BCE to 10 CE. Jewish Encyclopedia: Hillel : "His activity of forty years is perhaps historical; and since it began, according to a trustworthy tradition (Shab. 15a), one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it must have covered the period 30 BCE - 10 CE" Hillel, Pirke Avot I.14 , translated Charles Taylor Lea P.

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Jewish religious leader of the 1st century Hillel ( ; variously called Hillel HaGadol , Hillel HaZaken , Hillel HaBavli or HaBavli , was born according to tradition in Babylon c. 110 BCE, died 10 CE in Jerusalem ) was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and the founder of the House of Hillel school of tannaim . He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: (1) "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" and (2) the expression of the ethic of reciprocity , or " Golden Rule ": "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. Jewish Encyclopedia: Hillel : "His activity of forty years is perhaps historical; and since it began, according to a trustworthy tradition (Shab. 15a), one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it must have covered the period 30 BCE - 10 CE" Pirkei Avot 1:14 , translated Charles Taylor Babylonian Talmud , Shabbat 31a

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The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Jewish sage (c. 110 BCE – 10 CE) Hillel ( Hīllēl ; variously called Hillel the Elder , Hillel the Great , or Hillel the Babylonian ; died c. 10 CE) was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and the founder of the House of Hillel school of tannaim . He was active during the end of the first century BCE and the beginning of the first century CE. He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: (1) "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"; (2) "That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow. Jewish Encyclopedia: Hillel : "His activity of forty years is perhaps historical; and since it began, according to a trustworthy tradition (Shab. 15a), one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it must have covered the period 30 BCE - 10 CE" Falcon, Ted; Blatner, David (2019). Judaism for Dummies (2nd ed.). There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

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The opening as it stood in 2025

Jewish sage (c. 110 BCE – 10 CE) Hillel ( Hebrew : הִלֵּל Hīllēl ; variously called Hillel the Elder or Hillel the Babylonian ; died c. 10 CE) was a Jewish religious leader, sage and scholar associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and the founder of the House of Hillel school of tannaim . He was active during the end of the first century BCE and the beginning of the first century CE. He is popularly known as the author of three sayings: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" "That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow. Jewish Encyclopedia: Hillel : "His activity of forty years is perhaps historical; and since it began, according to a trustworthy tradition (Shab. 15a), one hundred years before the destruction of Jerusalem, it must have covered the period 30 BCE - 10 CE" Falcon, Ted; Blatner, David (2019). Judaism for Dummies (2nd ed.). There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

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