Minor Payyetanim in Medieval Ashkenaz

Unlike the Geniza, which transmits Hebrew poetry of many poets and varying quality, the main Ashkenazic Mahzorim contain only those piyyutim that were accepted by major communities, usually the best works composed for a given liturgical moment. Manuscripts representing local rites of less important communities do, however, transmit also piyyutim by less known payyetanim, some of whom may have been local hazanim. Their piyyutim bear witness to the importance of liturgical poetry, to the knowledge of Hebrew, of sources and narratives that form the basis of piyyutim, and of the rules of poetic genres, even in less important medieval Ashkenazic communities.