Rav Dovid ibn Zimra Radbaz

Rav Dovid ibn Zimra Radbaz (Cheshvan 21, 5334 / 1573 - 451st Yahrzeit)

Rav Dovid ben Zimra, the Radbaz arrived in Tzefas as a child after the Spanish expulsion, and immigrated to Egypt in 1514. Shortly thereafter, he was recognized as chief Rav of Egypt, a post he held for forty years. His income, however, came through business, from which he became quite wealthy. Among his talmidim in Cairo were Rav Yitzchok Luria (the Ari) and Rav Betzalel Ashkenazi, the Shita Mekubetzes. In 1553, he returned to Eretz Yisrael, settling in Tzefas.