JOSEPH BEN ABRAHAM HAKOHEN OF CORFU. Moshaoth E-l [commentary to the text of the Hoshanoth, recited on the Festival of Sukoth]

The piyutim included in this edition of Hoshanoth are according to the esoteric Romaniot rite, a rite stemming from the Byzantine Empire. This exotic rite is followed by a small community of Greek Jews who hold steadfast to the native traditions in vogue before the massive influx of Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492. The introduction of the volume discusses the burning of the Talmud in Italy. The author, Joseph of Corfu also published in 1604 Ta'am le-Musaph Tikanta Shabbath, a commentary to the Additional Prayer for the Sabbath, also in accordance to the Romaniot rite. He issued this in gratitude to God for rescuing him from marauding Maltese pirates off the coast of Rhodes