R. Hayyim David b. Raphael Joseph Hazan (1790-1869), was born in Smyrna. He was appointed Rishon Le'Zion and settled in Jerusalem in 1855, where he remained till his passing.

The Jerusalem imprint of this work marks a watershed in the press of Israel Bak. This volume was actually printed by Jehiel Brill, Michel Ha'Kohen, and Joel Moses Brill. Bak sued them in Bet Din for infringing on his exclusive printing business in Jerusalem. The Bet Din ruled against him and as a measure of consolation, R. Hazan allowed Bak to print the title and last 50 pages of the work. Bak, a wily businessman, assembled several international approbations and printed them on the title verso.