Wikipedia's first sentence called it “halkhaic law or matter that are not stated in the scripture nor derived from the talmudical hermeneutics”. Today it says “no biblical reference or source”.
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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 2015
Law given to Moses at Sinai (Hebrew Halakhah le-Moshe mi-Sinai הלכה למשה מסיני ) refers to a halakhic law that is neither explicitly stated in the biblical laws nor derived from it by Talmudical hermeneutics (the Oral exposition); it is, however, known from the Jewish Tradition .1As a category, "The law given to Moses at Mount Sinai " refers to halakhot not included in the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible), but which were transmitted orally since time immemorial from one generation to the next, with no scriptural source. The laws are nonetheless considered by the Talmud to have the force and gravity of Biblical law as if they are written explicitly in the Torah. A classic example are the laws of Tefillin . Tefillin are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah. Sets of tefillin, dating from the 1st-century CE, were discovered at Qumran in the Judean Desert . The corresponding halakhot , as expounded by the ' Oral Law ', are mentioned four times in the Torah ( Exodus 13:9 , Exodus 13:16 , Deuteronomy 6:8 , Deuteronomy 11:18 ), though. HALAKHAH LE-MOSHE MI-SINAI , Jewish Virtual Library Jewish law: history, sources, principles: Volume 1 Menachem Elon - 1994 "... entire Oral Law is that its principles and explanations were given at Sinai, why are only certain laws, and not others as well, referred to as "law given to Moses at Sinai"? The halakhic authorities and scholars have dealt at length .." Jacob Neusner Judaism when Christianity began: a survey of belief and practice 2002 Page 115 books.google.co.uk " (5) What the great sages teach is encompassed by the Torah revealed to Moses at Sinai, so that "a law given to Moses at Sinai" may include a proposition in no way articulated by the written part of the Torah.2
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 645082827.
The opening as it stood in 2010
Halakhah le-Moshe mi-Sinai ( Hebrew : הלכה למשה מסיני , lit Law given to Moses at Sini ) is an Halkhaic law or matter that are not stated in the Scripture nor derived from the Talmudical Hermeneutics (the Oral exposition), However, known from the Jewish Tradition . Hence, The law given to Moses at Biblical Mount Sinai , not included in the written Torah, that was transmitted since time immemorial from one generation to the next, orally, with no other sources.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 366586573.
The opening as it stood in 2020 8 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
A halakhic law that is neither stated in the biblical laws nor derived from it by Talmudical hermeneutics A Law given to Moses at Sinai (Hebrew Halakhah le-Moshe mi-Sinai הלכה למשה מסיני) refers to a halakhic law for which there is no biblical reference or source, but rather was passed down orally as a teaching originating from Moses at Sinai .Such teachings have not been derived from any Talmudical hermeneutics , but known solely from the Jewish tradition .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964500554.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Halakhic law with no biblical reference or source A law given to Moses at Sinai ( ) refers to a halakhic law for which there is no biblical reference or source, but rather was passed down orally as a teaching originating from Moses at Sinai . Such teachings have not been derived from any Talmudical hermeneutics , but known solely from the Jewish tradition .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1149528333.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Halakhic law with no biblical reference or source Moses with the Tablets of the Law on Sinai ( stained glass from the Temple De Hirsch Sinai ) A law given to Moses at Sinai ( Hebrew : הלכה למשה מסיני , romanized : Halakhah le-Moshe mi-Sinai ) refers to a halakhic law for which there is no biblical reference or source, but rather was passed down orally as a teaching originating from Moses at Sinai . Such teachings have not been derived from any Talmudical hermeneutics , but known solely from the Jewish tradition .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1273661449. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “halkhaic law or matter that are not stated in the scripture nor derived from the talmudical hermeneutics”. Today it says “no biblical reference or source”. Read the current article and compare.
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
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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
halkhaic law or matter that are not stated in the scripture nor derived from the talmudical hermeneutics
Now
no biblical reference or source
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.
