Rabbi Chaim ben Shlomo Tirer, known as Rabbi Chaim of Czernowitz and, after his best-known work, as the Be'er Mayim Chaim, was born in a village near Buczacz in Galicia. His father, Rabbi Shlomo, was a chassid of Rabbi Nachman of Horodenka. The family's original name was Tiror. He was a disciple of Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov; some sources also list Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg and the Maggid of Mezritch among his teachers.

He served as av beit din in many towns. In 5540 (1780) he was appointed rabbi of Kripitz, and from 5542 (1782) he was rabbi of Czernowitz. He also served in Mohilev, Botoșani, Kishinev and Bukovina, notably in Suceava, where he founded the Gemilut Chassadim synagogue. He worked to obtain the consent of the Austrian authorities for the return of the Jews expelled from Vienna.

In 5565 (1805), after Austria annexed Bukovina and following a conflict with the authorities, he left his post in Czernowitz intending to move to the Land of Israel. Once across the border in Moldavia, however, he served as rabbi in Botoșani and later in Kishinev. He fought against laws that harmed Jews and against the custom of praying outside the synagogue.

Works: Siduro shel Shabbat (Mohilev, 5573), on Shabbat, with responsa; Sha'ar HaTefillah (Botoșani, 5588), on prayer; Be'er Mayim Chaim (Czernowitz, 5609), a commentary on the Torah according to the four levels of PaRDeS; and Eretz HaChaim (Czernowitz, 5621), on the Prophets, the Writings and Megillat Esther, and on the halachot and aggadot of tractate Berachot.

He reached the Land of Israel only in 5573 (1813) and settled in Safed, where he passed away on 27 Kislev 5578 (December 6, 1817). He is buried in the old cemetery of Safed, in a cave known as the cave of the Be'er Mayim Chaim.