Rabbi David HaLevi Segal, known as the Turei Zahav or “the Taz” after his great work on the Shulchan Aruch, was one of the greatest halachic authorities. He was born in the year 5346 (1586) in the city of Ludmir, to his father, the Ga’on Rabbi Shmuel. In his youth, he learned from his father and his older brother Rabbi Yitzchak (author of Responsa Mahari HaLevi). He married Rebbetzin Rivkah, daughter of the Bach, the great Rabbi Yoel Sirkes, whom he respectfully cites in his books as "my teacher and father-in-law." Initially, he was supported by his father-in-law in Brisk, then moved to Cracow. Later, he served as rabbi in several communities, including Ostroh (Ukraine), where he founded an important yeshiva. During the terrible pogroms of the years 5408-5409 (1648-1649), the Taz fled, and eventually settled in the city of Lvov (Lemberg), where he became one of the leaders of the "Council of Four Lands." He passed away on the 26th of Shevat, 5427 (1667). On his tombstone it is written: "Behold, while still alive he already merited that the law was decided according to his opinion. His teachings that he taught are pure and well-arranged."
You Have Labored and Found
The Taz labored greatly in Torah, as he said, "The Torah is only sustained by one who kills himself over it, meaning one who engages in pilpul (sharp analysis) and the back and forth debates of Torah... through toil and exertion." The Taz engaged in Torah study amidst poverty and hardship, and it is told that through the power of his learning and pilpul, he drew down healing and salvation:
The daughter of a wealthy man went mad. The wealthy man went to the Taz and asked him to pray for his daughter to be healed. The Taz went with him to his house. As soon as he opened the door, the sick girl opened her mouth and said, "Welcome, our teacher," and turned her face away. "Why did you turn your face away?" the Taz asked the girl, "Because the wicked cannot look upon the faces of the righteous [a spirit of a wicked person had entered her],” she replied. “For it should be known to the master that in heaven above, they call you 'Our teacher, the Ga’on, our teacher Rabbi David, author of Turei Zahav.'" "If it is true that I am esteemed in heaven,” the Taz responded, “I decree that you be healed, for today I resolved a difficult question in the Tur according to the authentic teachings of Torah. In this merit, may you have healing." And so it was and the sick girl was healed.
The virtue of toil and pilpul even before reaching the halachic conclusion, is like the virtue of preparation for a mitzvah, as the Ba’al Shem Tov taught. The sages state, "[If] you have toiled and found [success], believe [in it]."
