Wikipedia's first sentence called it “rabbi who is the academic "head"”. Today it says “title given to the dean of a yeshiva”. This article was not filed under it. Today it is filed under Jewish religious occupations.
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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
Rosh yeshiva ( Hebrew : ראש ישיבה) (pl.: Roshei yeshiva , also referred to as "Rosh yeshivas") is a rabbi who is the academic "head", or rosh (ראש), of a yeshiva (ישיבה), a school of higher Talmudic study.1He is required to have a vast and penetrating knowledge of the Talmud and most responsa and the ability to "talk in learning", meaning supreme capabilities and knowledge of his material and an ability to analyse and present new perspectives that are called chidushim (novellae) verbally and often in print.2Yeshivas play a central role in the life of Orthodox Judaism and Ultra Orthodox Judaism so the position of Rosh yeshiva is the critical central pillar of leadership upon which the entire institution and system depends. In Hasidic Judaism the role of Rosh yeshiva is secondary to the Rebbe , who is head of the Hasidic dynasty that controls it. Historically, the yeshivas continue the scholarly traditions of the Biblical Sanhedrin and the Seventy Elders ( Shivim Z'kenim ), wise men [1] (Exodus 24:1,9; Numbers 11:16,24) wherein were discussed and eloborated the 613 Mitzvot (commandments). This tradition was continued by the sages of the Mishnah and Talmud . In Babylonia the Rosh yeshiva was referred to as the Reish Metivta (or RaM ) in Aramaic . Depending on the size of the yeshiva, there may be several Roshei yeshiva , often from one extended family but not always. There are even dynasties of Roshei yeshiva the most famous of which is the Soloveitchik family to which Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik of Yeshiva University belonged.3 The general role of the rosh yeshiva is to oversee the Talmudic studies and practical legal matters. The rosh yeshiva may lecture on a daily or weekly basis to the highest class ( shiur ).4He is also the one to decide whether to grant permission for students ( talmidim ) to undertake classes for ordination, known as semicha , as rabbis.5The personal and ethical development of the students in the yeshiva is usually covered by a different personality, known as the mashgiach ("supervisor"). This concept, introduced by the Mussar movement in the 19th century , led to perfection of character as one of the aims of attending a yeshiva. Famous roshei yeshiva were Rabbis Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin , Moshe Feinstein , and Isaac Hutner . Famous mashgichim include Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler . Prior to the Holocaust most of the large yeshivas were based in Eastern Europe . Many Roshei yeshiva were trained by graduates of the Volozhin yeshiva , headed by its Rosh yeshiva Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin , ( 1749 - 1821 ). It was known as the "Mother of Yeshivas" because so many of its alumni established yeshivas of their own over time. Rabbi Chaim was the chief disciple of the famed Elijah of Vilna ( 1720 - 1797 ) known as the "Vilna Gaon". Presently the majority of the world's yeshivas and their Roshei yeshiva are located in the United States and the State of Israel .6
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16620601.
The opening as it stood in 2010 20 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Roshei yeshiva ; Yeshivish Rosh yeshivas ), ( ), is the title given to the president of a Talmudical academy ( yeshiva ).It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education.The rosh yeshiva is required to have a vast and penetrating knowledge of the Talmud and the ability to achieve a level of mastery of his material and an ability to analyse and present new perspectives, called chidushim, (novellae) verbally and often in print.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 356719098.
The opening as it stood in 2015
Roshei yeshiva ; Yeshivish : Rosh yeshivahs ), is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy ( yeshiva ). It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education. The rosh yeshiva is required to have a vast and penetrating knowledge of the Talmud and the ability to achieve a level of mastery of his material and an ability to analyse and present new perspectives, called chidushim, (novellae) verbally and often in print.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 667931998.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Rosh yeshiva ( , pl . , roshei yeshiva ; Anglicized pl. rosh yeshivahs ) is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva , a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and the Torah , and halakha (Jewish law).It is a compound word of the Hebrew words rosh ("head") and yeshiva (a school of religious Jewish education). The rosh yeshiva is required to have a comprehensive knowledge of the Talmud and the ability to analyse and present new perspectives, called chidushim ( novellae ) verbally and often in print.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 953797919.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Head of a yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( , pl . , roshei yeshiva, rashe yeshiva ; Anglicized pl. rosh yeshivas ) is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva , a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and the Torah , and halakha (Jewish law).The general role of the rosh yeshiva is to oversee the Talmudic studies and practical matters.The rosh yeshiva will often give the highest shiur (class) and is also the one to decide whether to grant permission for students to undertake classes for rabbinical ordination, known as semicha .The term is a compound of the Hebrew words rosh ("head") and yeshiva (a school of religious Jewish education). The rosh yeshiva is required to have a comprehensive knowledge of the Talmud and the ability to analyse and present new perspectives, called chidushim ( novellae ) verbally and often in print. In some institutions, such as YU's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary , the title of rosh yeshiva is given to many rabbis and the dean of the yeshiva is known as the rosh ha-yeshiva.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1125727428.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Head of a yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva ( Hebrew : ראש ישיבה , pl . Hebrew : ראשי ישיבה , roshei yeshiva, rashe yeshiva ; Anglicized pl. rosh yeshivas ) is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva , a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and the Torah , and halakha (Jewish law). The general role of the rosh yeshiva is to oversee the Talmudic studies and practical matters. The rosh yeshiva will often give the highest shiur (class) and is also the one to decide whether to grant permission for students to undertake classes for rabbinical ordination, known as semicha . The term is a compound of the Hebrew words rosh ("head") and yeshiva (a school of religious Jewish education). The rosh yeshiva is required to have a comprehensive knowledge of the Talmud and the ability to analyse and present new perspectives, called chidushim ( novellae ) verbally and often in print. In some institutions, such as YU's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary , the title of rosh yeshiva is given to many rabbis and the dean of the yeshiva is known as the rosh ha-yeshiva.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1290631420. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “rabbi who is the academic "head"”. Today it says “title given to the dean of a yeshiva”. This article was not filed under it. Today it is filed under Jewish religious occupations. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
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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
rabbi who is the academic "head"
Now
title given to the dean of a yeshiva
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.