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David ha-Levi Segal (c. 1586 – 20 February 1667), also known as theTurei Zahav (abbreviatedTaz [ט"ז]) after the title of his significanthalakhic commentary on theShulchan Aruch, was one of the greatestPolish rabbinical authorities.
Born inVolodymir,Volhynia, Segal was the son of Samuel ha-Levi Segal. His chief Torah teacher was his older brother,Isaac HaLevi Segal. He became a reputedTalmudic scholar, and married the daughter of RabbiJoel Sirkis ofBrest who was also known as the Bach (ב"ח), and quoted his father-in-law frequently in his works. He was also aMohel.
After residing with his father-in-law and continuing his Torah studies for several years, Segal and his family moved toKraków. He was then appointed chief rabbi ofPotelych (Polish:Potylicz), nearRava, where he lived in great poverty. Later he went toPoznań, where he remained for several years.
Around 1641 he became rabbi of the old community ofOstrog, (or Ostroh), in Volhynia. There Segal established a famousyeshiva, and was soon recognized as one of the great halakhic authorities of his time. In Ostrog, Segal wrote a commentary onJoseph Caro'sShulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah), which he published inLublin in 1646. This commentary, known as theTurei Zahav ("Rows of Gold"), was accepted as one of the highest authorities on Jewish law. Thereafter, Segal became known by theacronym of his work, theTaZ.
Two years after the publication of his commentary, Segal and his family had to flee the massacres of theCossack insurrection underBogdan Chmielnicki in 1648–1649. Segal went toUherský Brod,Moravia, where he remained for some time. Not happy in Moravia, he returned to Poland as soon as order was restored, settling inLemberg, where he remained for the rest of his life.
In Lemberg, Segal was appointedAv Beit Din (head of the rabbinical court). When RabbiMeïr Sack, chief rabbi of Lemberg, died in 1653, he succeeded him in this position as well.
Segal's last days were saddened by the death of his two sons, Mordechai and Solomon, who were killed in the riots occurring in Lemberg in the spring of 1664. His wife had died long before; now Segal married the widow of her brother, Samuel Hirz, Rav ofPińczów. His third son from his first marriage, Isaiah, and his stepson,Aryeh Löb, were the two Polish scholars who were sent—probably by Segal, or at least with his consent—toTurkey in 1666 to investigate the claims of the pseudo-Messiah,Shabbetai Tzvi. The two returned with a present for Segal from Shabbetai Tzvi — a white silk robe, along with a letter in which the latter promised to avenge the wrongs of the Jews of Poland.
Segal's descendants were the Russian rabbinical family Paltrowitch, which produced 33 rabbis over several generations.
Most of Segal's works were published long after his death. TheTurei Zahav (טורי זהב - "Rows of Gold"), an indispensable commentary onShulchan Aruch, was re-published byShabbethai Bass inDyhernfurth in 1692, this time together with theMagen Abraham byAbraham Abele Gumbiner. The titleTurei Zahav is a play on the similar-soundingturei zahav (תורי זהב), "towers of gold", inSong of Songs 1:11. The title is abbreviated asTaz (ט"ז), and subtitledMagen David ("Shield of David", after Segal's first name) in many editions. Both commentaries (Taz andMagen Abraham), together with the main text, theShulchan Aruch, were republished frequently with several other commentaries, and still hold first rank among halakhic authorities.
Two years before the publication of this work, Judel of Kovli, in Volhynia, akabbalist and Talmudic scholar who wrote a commentary onOrach Chaim, gave money to have it published together with theTaz. His wishes were never carried out, and his money was used to publish another of Segal's works,Divrei David ("The Words of David"), a supercommentary onRashi (Dyhernfurth, 1690). Part of theTaz onShulchan Aruch (Chosen Mishpat, to chapter 296), appeared separately in Hamburg in the same year, with notes byTzvi Ashkenazi. The other half, in spite of various attempts and general demand, did not appear until about seventy years later (Berlin, 1761). TheTaz onShulchan Aruch (Even ha-Ezer), which was utilized in manuscript bySamuel ben Phoebus, the author ofBet Shemuel on the same part of theShulchan Aruch, was first printed inZolkiev in 1754.
Segal also authored responsa which, though sometimes quoted from the manuscripts, were never published. He andShabbethai Kohen (theShaK) are among the greatest halakhic authorities among theAcharonim. In 1683, theCouncil of Four Lands declared that the authority of theTaz should be considered greater than that of theShaK, but later theShaK gained more and more in authority.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906)."David b. Samuel ha-Levi".The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.| International | |
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