Shulamit Elizur – The Liturgical Poems of Rabbi Pinhas Ha-Cohen

This book presents Piyyutim (liturgical poetry) written by one of the most important poets in the Land of Israel, Rabbi Pinhas Hacohen birabi Yaacov, who lived in the area of Tiberias in the 8th century. The Piyyutim are taken from manuscripts of the Cairo Genizah, and are published for the first time. R’ Pinhas seals the classic period of early Paytanim (authors of liturgical poetry) in the Land of Israel. His work preserves the variety of genres typical for classic Piyyutim, yet shows early signs of developments characteristic to late Eastern liturgical poetry. R. Pinhas’ Piyyutim reveal a great poet with impressive compositional durability. In some of them he reaches unique climaxes, especially through dramatic developments in the Piyut.