Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, better known by his acronym Chida, was born in Jerusalem and studied under the some of the greatest rabbis, including the Ohr Hachaim. He was sent several times to Europe and North Africa to raise money for the Jewish communities of Jerusalem and Hebron. He records his travels around Europe in Ma’agal Tov which was published posthumously.
He was a tremendous scholar in every field of Jewish knowledge and wrote some 55 books, including the Birkei Yosef commentary on Shulhan Arukh and a biography and bibliography of Rabbis entitled Shem Hagedolim.
His body was brought to Israel 150 years after his death, in 1960 and he is buried on Har Hamenuchot.