In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “amora”. Today it says “amora —a scholar of jewish law during the period in which the gemara was codified—who lived in the land of isra”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2010
Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi was an amora (Rabbi of the Talmud ) who lived in the land of Israel of the first half of the third century.1He headed the school of Lydda in the southern Land of Israel.2He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Resh Lakish , who presided over the school in Tiberias .3It is uncertain whether the name "ben Levi" meant the son of Levi, whom some identify with Levi ben Sisi , or a descendant of the tribe of Levi . Amor." 1:124.) Rabbi Joshua ben Levi studied under Bar Kappara , whom he often quoted. But Joshua considered his greatest indebtedness to Rabbi Judah ben Pedaiah, from whom he learned a great number of legal rulings. (Exodus Rabbah 6; Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:7; Genesis Rabbah 94.) Another of his teachers was Rabbi Phinehas ben Jair, whose piety and sincerity must have exerted a powerful influence upon the character of Joshua. Joshua himself had a gentle disposition. He was known for his modesty and piety, and whenever he instituted public fasting and prayer, it was said that his appeals were answered. ( Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 66c.) His love of peace prevented him from making any attacks against the Christian theology that was then gaining ground.4He was tolerant of Jewish Christians, though they often annoyed him.5And he forbore cursing one of them, pronouncing rather Psalm 145:9 , " God's mercies extend over all His creatures." (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 7a; Avodah Zarah 4b.) His love of justice and his concern that the innocent might suffer on account of the guilty (Babylonian Talmud Yoma 19b) led him to speak against the custom then prevailing of removing from office a reader who, by omitting certain benedictions, had aroused the suspicion of heresy.6
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 363411696.
The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi was an amora (Rabbi of the Talmud ) who lived in the land of Israël of the first half of the third century. He headed the school of Lydda in the southern Land of Israël. He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Resh Lakish , who presided over the school in Tiberias . It is uncertain whether the name "ben Levi" meant the son of Levi, whom some identify with Levi ben Sisi , or a descendant of the tribe of Levi . Amor." 1:124.) Rabbi Joshua ben Levi studied under Bar Kappara , whom he often quoted. But Joshua considered his greatest indebtedness to Rabbi Judah ben Pedaiah, from whom he learned a great number of legal rulings. (Exodus Rabbah 6; Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:7; Genesis Rabbah 94.) Another of his teachers was Phinehas ben Jair , whose piety and sincerity must have exerted a powerful influence upon the character of Joshua. Joshua himself had a gentle disposition. He was known for his modesty and piety, and whenever he instituted public fasting and prayer, it was said that his appeals were answered. ( Jerusalem Talmud Taanit 66c.) His love of peace prevented him from making any attacks against the theology of the minim (heretics).He was tolerant, though they often annoyed him. And he forbore cursing one of them, pronouncing rather Psalm 145:9 , " God's mercies extend over all His creatures." (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 7a; Avodah Zarah 4b.) His love of justice and his concern that the innocent might suffer on account of the guilty (Babylonian Talmud Yoma 19b) led him to speak against the custom then prevailing of removing from office a reader who, by omitting certain benedictions, had aroused the suspicion of heresy.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 661394355.
The opening as it stood in 2020 10 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Joshua ben Levi ( Yehoshua ben Levi ) was an amora , a scholar of the Talmud , who lived in the Land of Israel in the first half of the third century.He lived and taught in the city of Lod . He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Resh Lakish , who presided over the school in Tiberias . With Johanan bar Nappaha, he often engaged in homiletic exegetical discussions.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 922165867.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
3rd century Judean scholar of the Talmud Title page from Rachlin, I. Joshua ben Levi ( Yehoshua ben Levi ) was an amora , a scholar of the Talmud , who lived in the Land of Israel in the first half of the third century. He lived and taught in the city of Lod . He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Resh Lakish , who presided over the school in Tiberias . With Johanan bar Nappaha, he often engaged in homiletic exegetical discussions.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1145093637.
The opening as it stood in 2025
3rd century Judean scholar of the Talmud Title page from Rachlin, I. Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi (220 – 250 CE ) was an amora —a scholar of Jewish law during the period in which the Gemara was codified—who lived in the Land of Israel in the first half of the third century. He lived and taught in the city of Lod . He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Shimon ben Lakish , who presided over the academy in Tiberias . With Johanan bar Nappaha, he often engaged in homiletic exegetical discussions.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1263372061. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “amora”. Today it says “amora —a scholar of jewish law during the period in which the gemara was codified—who lived in the land of isra”. Read the current article and compare.
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 2010, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
amora
Now
amora —a scholar of jewish law during the period in which the gemara was codified—who lived in the land of isra
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.