In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “second compilation of oral law from that period”. Today it says “compilation of jewish oral law from the late second century ce”.
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The opening as it read in 2005
The Mishnah is the basic compilation of the Oral law of Judaism ; it was written compile around 200 CE. The Tosefta is a second compilation of oral law from that period. It is a Halakhic work which corresponds in structure almost exactly to the Mishna, with the same divisions for sedarim (orders) and masekhot (tractates). It is mainly written in Mishnaic Hebrew , with some Aramaic . The Mishnah was redacted by Judah haNasi in consultation with members of the Academy, while the Tosefta was edited by Rabbis Hiyya and Oshaiah on their own, thus the Tosefta is less authoritative ( Rashi in his commentary on Talmud Sanhedrin 33a). In many ways the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishna ( tosefta means 'supplement'). The text of most of Tosefta agrees nearly verbatim with the Mishna, and often varies only slightly. The Tosefta offers authors' names for laws that are anonymous in the Mishna; It also augments the Mishna with additional glosses and discussions. The Tosefta as we have it today functions like a commentary on unquoted Mishnaic material; It offers additional haggadic and midrashic material, and it sometimes contradicts the Mishna in deciding Halakha (Jewish law), or in declaring in whose name a law was given. Much of the tosefta is currently regarded as being written shortly after the Mishna was redacted. However, recent scholarship, especially by Professor Judith Hauptman reveals that the Tosefta draws on source material earlier than the later material in the Mishnah. It may well be that parts of the Tosefta predate the Mishnah. Related: Oral law , Mishnah , Talmud , Gemara , Rabbinic literature , Halakha External link: Full text at Mechon-Mamre1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 15926696.
The opening as it stood in 2010 13 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Halakhic Midrash Aggadic Midrash Targum v t e The Tosefta ( Aramaic : תוספתא) is a secondary compilation of the Jewish oral law from the period of the Mishnah .
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The opening as it stood in 2015
Halakhic Midrash Aggadic Midrash Targum v t e The Tosefta ( Talmudic Aramaic : תוספתא, "supplement, addition") is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the late 2nd century period, the period of the Mishnah .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 652715953.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Halakhic Midrash Aggadic Midrash Targum v t e The Tosefta ( Jewish Babylonian Aramaic : תוספתא "supplement, addition") is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the late 2nd century, the period of the Mishnah .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 955148329.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Compilation of the Jewish law from the late 2nd century Not to be confused with Tosafot or Tosafists .Halakhic Midrash Aggadic Midrash Targum v t e The Tosefta ( "supplement, addition") is a compilation of Jewish Oral Law from the late second century, the period of the Mishnah and the Jewish sages known as the Tannaim .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1175922864.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Compilation of the Jewish law from the late 2nd century Not to be confused with Tosafot or Tosafists . Halakhic Midrash Aggadic Midrash Targum v t e The Tosefta ( Jewish Babylonian Aramaic : תוספתא , romanized: tosep̄tā "supplement, addition") is a compilation of Jewish Oral Law from the late second century, the period of the Mishnah and the Jewish sages known as the Tannaim .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1297255628. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “second compilation of oral law from that period”. Today it says “compilation of jewish oral law from the late second century ce”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
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Oct '23
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
second compilation of oral law from that period
Now
compilation of jewish oral law from the late second century ce
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.