Did Wikipedia remove the word "occupation" from the Shammai article?

Yes. "occupation" appeared 1 times in this article's opening at its peak. Today it appears nowhere in the article, references included. We saved the article's opening paragraph at 6 moments between 2005 and 2025, and the counts come from those saved copies.

When did the Shammai article stop using the word "occupation"?

The word appeared 1 times in the opening at its peak in 2005. It appears nowhere in the article today, checked against the live article on 2026-08-02.

How can I verify what Wikipedia's Shammai article used to say?

Each snapshot on this page links the Wikipedia revision it came from, so you can open their own history and compare. We also keep our own copy of the text, which stays readable if the article changes again.

What did Wikipedia remove from the Shammai article?

The opening as it read in 2005

Shammai (d. 30 ) was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century , and an imporant figure in Judaism 's core work of rabbinic literature , the Mishnah .¹ Shammai was the most eminent contemporary and the halachic opponent of Hillel , and is almost invariably mentioned along with him.² Shammai's school of thought became known as the House of Shammai (in Hebrew : Beit Shammai ), and Hillel's was known as the House of Hillel ( Beit Hillel ). After Menahem the Essene had resigned the office of vice-president of the Sanhedrin , Shammai was elected to it, Hillel being at the time president. After Hillel passed away around in 20 CE Shammai took his place as president but no vice-president from the minority was elected so that the school of Shammai attained complete ascendancy. The Talmud compares this time when he passed the 18 ordinances to "the day the Golden Calf was built" (Shabbat17A). Hillel's grandson Gamaliel succeeded the position of president after Shammai in 30 CE, but the Sanhedren would remain dominated by the house of Shammai (the Shammaites) until around 70 CE. A "voice from heaven" is said to have nullified the legality of the rulings of the house of Shammai ( Jerusalem Talmud , Berakhot 1:7), which is why Rabbinical Judaism follows Hillel. Shammai was likely a Palestinian Jew, and took an active part in the political and religious complications of his native land. Of an irascible temperament, he seemed to lack some of the tireless patience which is said to have distinguished Hillel. Once, when a gentile came to him and asked to be converted to Judaism upon conditions which Shammai held to be impossible, he drove the applicant away; whereas Hillel succeeded in converting him (Talmud, tracate Shabbat 31a). Nevertheless Shammai was in no way a misanthrope. He himself appears to have realized the disadvantages of his temper; hence he recommended a friendly attitude toward all. His motto was: "Make the study of the Torah your chief occupation; speak little, but accomplish much; and receive every man with a friendly countenance" (Ab. i. 15). He was modest even toward his pupils. In his religious views Shammai was known to be strict. He wished to make his son, while still a child, conform to the law regarding fasting on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement); he was dissuaded from his purpose only through the insistence of his friends (Talmud, Yoma 77b). Once, when his daughter-in-law gave birth to a boy on Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) he broke through the roof of the chamber in which she lay in order to make a sukkah of it, so that his new-born grandchild might fulfil the religious obligation of the festival (Talmud Sukkot 28a). In the Midrash Sifre, Deut. § 203 it is said that Shammai commented exegetically upon three passages of Scripture. These three examples of his exegesis are: (1) the interpretation of Deut. xx. 20 (Tosef., 'Er. iii. 7); (2) that of II Sam. xii. 9 (Ḳid. 43a); and (3) either the interpretation of Lev. xi. 34, which is given anonymously in Sifra on the passage, but which is the basis for Shammai's halakah transmitted in 'Orlah ii. 5, or else the interpretation of Ex. xx. 8 ("Remember the Sabbath"), which is given in the Mekilta, Yitro, 7 (ed. Hananiah, but which must have originated with Shammai, with whose custom of preparing for the Sabbath it accords.³ Shammai founded a school of his own, known as the House of Shammai , which differed fundamentally from that of Hillel; and many of Shammai's sayings are probably embodied in those handed down in the name of his school.⁴

This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16042850.

The opening as it stood in 2010 19 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Shammai (50 BCE–30 CE, Hebrew : שמאי) was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century, and an important figure in Judaism 's core work of rabbinic literature , the Mishnah . Shammai was the most eminent contemporary and the halakhic opponent of Hillel , and is almost invariably mentioned along with him. Shammai founded a school of his own, known as the House of Shammai , which differed fundamentally from that of Hillel; and many of Shammai's sayings are probably embodied in those handed down in the name of his school.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 369858744.

The opening as it stood in 2015

The tomb of Shammai in the Meron river, Israel Shammai (50 BCE – 30 CE, Hebrew : שמאי) was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century, and an important figure in Judaism 's core work of rabbinic literature , the Mishnah . Shammai was the most eminent contemporary and the halakhic opponent of Hillel , and is almost invariably mentioned along with him. Shammai founded a school of his own, known as the House of Shammai , which differed fundamentally from that of Hillel; and many of Shammai's sayings are probably embodied in those handed down in the name of his school.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 652859452.

The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear

Jewish sage who debated with Hillel Mausoleum with two loculus graves at Khirbet Shema ' on Mount Meron , dated to the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods, and identified by a medieval tradition as the tomb of Shammai. Shammai (50 BCE – 30 CE, ) was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century, and an important figure in Judaism 's core work of rabbinic literature , the Mishnah . Shammai was the most eminent contemporary of Hillel . His teachings mostly agree with those of Hillel, except on three issues. Both were divided over an earlier rabbinic dispute, regarding the actual laying on of hands upon a sacrificial animal on a Festival Day , which Hillel permitted. Their disciples, who had differing views to their masters, disputed many other halakhic matters. The School of Shammai , founded by Shammai, is almost invariably mentioned along with the School of Hillel , founded by Hillel. They differed fundamentally from each other. Although they were contemporaries, Hillel was nearly sixty years old at the time of Shammai's birth.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964791646.

The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023

Jewish scholar (50 BCE-30 CE) Mausoleum with two loculus graves at Khirbet Shema ' on Mount Meron , dated to the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods, and identified by a medieval tradition as the tomb of Shammai. Shammai (c. 50 BCE – c. 30 CE, , Šammaʾy ) was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century, and an important figure in Judaism 's core work of rabbinic literature , the Mishnah . Shammai was the most eminent contemporary of Hillel . His teachings mostly agree with those of Hillel, except on three issues. Both were divided over an earlier rabbinic dispute, regarding the actual laying on of hands upon a sacrificial animal on a Festival Day , which Hillel permitted. Their disciples, who had differing views to their masters, disputed many other halakhic matters. The School of Shammai , founded by Shammai, is almost invariably mentioned along with the School of Hillel , founded by Hillel. They differed fundamentally from each other. Although they were contemporaries, Hillel was nearly sixty years old at the time of Shammai's birth.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1175035280.

The opening as it stood in 2025

Jewish scholar (50 BCE-30 CE) Mausoleum with two loculus graves at Khirbet Shema ' on Mount Meron , dated to the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods, and identified by a medieval tradition as the tomb of Shammai. Shammai (c. 50 BCE – c. 30 CE, Hebrew : שַׁמַּאי , Šammaʾy ) also known as Shammai the Elder (שַׁמַּאי הַזָּקֵן) was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century and an important figure in Judaism 's core work of rabbinic literature , the Mishnah . Shammai was the most eminent contemporary of the sage and scholar Hillel . His teachings mostly agree with those of Hillel, except on three issues. Both were divided over an earlier rabbinic dispute, regarding the actual laying on of hands upon a sacrificial animal on a Festival Day , which Hillel permitted. Their disciples, who had differing views to their masters, disputed many other halakhic matters. The School of Shammai , founded by Shammai, is almost invariably mentioned along with the School of Hillel, founded by Hillel. They differed fundamentally from each other. Although they were contemporaries, Hillel was nearly 60 years old at the time of Shammai's birth. While the terms "liberal" and "conservative" may not perfectly capture the nuances of their positions, Hillel is generally considered to have been more lenient or flexible in his interpretations of Jewish law compared to Shammai. On the other hand, Shammai tended to be more stringent in his interpretations, prioritizing strict adherence to the law.

Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1297484196. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.