In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “tractate of the mishna composed of ethical maxims of the rabbis of the mishnaic period”. Today it says “compilation of the jewish theological and ethical teachings and maxims from rabbinic jewish tradition”.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Pirkei Avoth ( Hebrew : Chapters of the Fathers, פרקי אבות ) or simply Avoth is a tractate of the Mishna composed of ethical maxims of the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period. It is the second-last tractate in the Mishnaic order Nezikin . The tractate consists of five chapters. The first four chapters contain sayings attributed to sages from Simon the Just (3rd century B.C.E.) to Judah haNasi (3rd century C.E.), redactor of the Mishnah. These aphorisms concern proper ethical and social conduct, as well as the importance of Torah study. The fifth chapter of Avoth departs from the organization and content of the preceding four in that it consists mostly of anonymous sayings structured around numerical lists, several of which have no direct connection with ethics. The last four paragraphs return to the format of moral aphorisms attributed to specific rabbis. In liturgical use, and in most printed editions of Avoth, a sixth chapter, Kinyan Torah ("Acquisition of Torah") is added; this is in fact the second chapter of tractate Kallah , one of the minor tractates . It is added because its content and style closely approximate that of the original tractate Avoth. From at least the time of Saadia Gaon (10th century C.E.), it has been customary to study one chapter a week on each of the seven Sabbaths between Passover and Shavuot , or nowadays until Rosh Hashana ; the tractate is therefore included in many prayer books , following the Sabbath afternoon prayers . In the course of such study, it is common to preface each chapter with the Mishnaic saying, "All Israel has a share in the world to come" (Sanhedrin 10:1), and to conclude each chapter with the saying, "The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to bestow merit upon Israel; therefore he gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance" (Makkoth 3:16). The tractate includes several of the most frequently-quoted rabbinic sayings, such as "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am [only] for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" (Avoth 1:15), and "It is not up to you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it" (Avoth 2:19). Although Avoth does not have an accompanying Gemara , one of the minor tractates of the Talmud, Avoth deRabbi Nathan ("The Fathers according to Rabbi Nathan"), is an expansion of the Mishnaic tractate containing numerous additional ethical teachings and legends.1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16535315.
The opening as it stood in 2010 15 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Pirkei Avot ( ), which translates to English as Chapters of Fundamental Principles is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims of the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period.Because of its contents, it is also called Ethics of the Fathers .The teachings of Pirkei Avot appear in the Mishnaic tractate of Avot , the second-to-last tractate in the order of Nezikin in the Talmud .Pirkei Avot is unique in that it is the only tractate of the Talmud dealing solely with ethical and moral principles; there is little or no halacha found in Pirkei Avot, except for the Ein Mishpat Ner Mitzvah.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 368857673.
The opening as it stood in 2015
Pirkei Avot ( ) (also Pirkei Avoth or Pirkei Avos ), which translates to English as Chapters of the Fathers is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims of the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period.It is part of didactic Jewish ethical Musar literature . Because of its contents, it is also called Ethics of the Fathers . The teachings of Pirkei Avot appear in the Mishnaic tractate of Avot , the second-to-last tractate in the order of Nezikin in the Mishnah . Pirkei Avot is unique in that it is the only tractate of the Mishnah dealing solely with ethical and moral principles; there is little or no halacha found in Pirkei Avot.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 659932559.
The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Tractate of the Mishnah Pirkei Avot Pirkei Avot ( ; also spelled as Pirkei Avoth or Pirkei Avos or Pirke Aboth ), which translates to English as Chapters of the Fathers , is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims from Rabbinical Jewish tradition. It is part of didactic Jewish ethical literature . Because of its contents, the name is sometimes given as Ethics of the Fathers .Pirkei Avot consists of the Mishnaic tractate of Avot , the second-to-last tractate in the order of Nezikin in the Mishnah , plus one additional chapter. Avot is unique in that it is the only tractate of the Mishnah dealing solely with ethical and moral principles; there is little or no halacha (laws) found in Pirkei Avot.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 958969502.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Tractate of the Mishnah "Abot" redirects here; not to be confused with Abbot .Pirkei Avot with Judeo-Persian [Bukharian] translation Pirkei Avot ( ; also transliterated as Pirqei Avoth or Pirkei Avos or Pirke Aboth ), which translates to English as Chapters of the Fathers , is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims from Rabbinic Jewish tradition. It is part of didactic Jewish ethical literature . Because of its contents, the name is sometimes given as Ethics of the Fathers . Pirkei Avot consists of the Mishnaic tractate of Avot , the second-to-last tractate in the order of Nezikin in the Mishnah , plus one additional chapter. Avot is unique in that it is the only tractate of the Mishnah dealing solely with ethical and moral principles; there is relatively little halakha (laws) in Pirkei Avot.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1170290802.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Tractate of the Mishnah "Abot" redirects here; not to be confused with Abbot . Pirkei Avot with Bukharian Judeo-Persian translation Pirkei Avot ( Hebrew : פִּרְקֵי אָבוֹת , romanized : pirqē aḇoṯ , lit. ' Chapters of the [Fore]fathers ' ; also transliterated as Pirqei Avoth or Pirkei Avos or Pirke Aboth , also Abhoth ), is a compilation of the Jewish theological and ethical teachings and maxims from Rabbinic Jewish tradition. It is part of didactic Jewish ethical literature . Because of its contents, the name is sometimes given as Ethics of the Fathers . Pirkei Avot consists of the Mishnaic minor tractate of Avot , the second-to-last tractate in the order of Nezikin in the Mishnah , plus one additional chapter. Avot is unique in that it is the only tractate of the Mishnah dealing solely with ethical and moral principles; there is relatively little Halakha (Jewish law) in Pirkei Avot . (1891), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Luke 6, accessed on 10 April 2025
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Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “tractate of the mishna composed of ethical maxims of the rabbis of the mishnaic period”. Today it says “compilation of the jewish theological and ethical teachings and maxims from rabbinic jewish tradition”. Read the current article and compare.
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2025
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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
tractate of the mishna composed of ethical maxims of the rabbis of the mishnaic period
Now
compilation of the jewish theological and ethical teachings and maxims from rabbinic jewish tradition
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.
