According to the testimony of the author's son Shemariah, who arranged for the publication of his father's work, Rabbi Joel abandoned all secular activities during the last twenty-nine years of his life in order to live an ascetic life and devote himself exclusively to Torah study and religious works.
The main purpose of the super-commentary is to resolve apparent difficulties in Rabbi Obadiah of Bertinoro's commentary in the face of the objections raised in the Tosefot Yom Tov.