Rabbi Yitzchak (Vita) ben Yaakov Lumbroso was born around 1680 into a family of Italian origin settled in Tunis, within the Granas (Livornese) community. His grandfather, Rabbi Meir Lumbroso, was a leading rabbi of Tunis at the end of the seventeenth century. His father, Rabbi Yaakov, recognising his gifts, insisted on the finest teachers for him: he studied under Rabbi Avraham Taieb, Rabbi Tzemach Tzarfati, of whom he was one of the most brilliant students, and Rabbi Avraham HaKohen.

In 1718 he became dayan of the Granas community, and in 1738 its chief rabbi, av beit din and rosh yeshiva. A man of means, he also served as the Bey's tax receiver and as qaid, the official representative of his community. In 1741, on the death of Rabbi Avraham Taieb, he succeeded him as chief rabbi of the whole Tunisian community and was regarded as the teacher of most of Tunisia's rabbis.

Humble and attentive before his teachers and generous to his colleagues, he became one of the greatest Tunisian sages of the eighteenth century, renowned as a Talmudist and kabbalist. His fame drew many students to his study house, and he had the merit of seeing them become great scholars in their turn.

He passed away in 1752 and was buried in the old Jewish cemetery of Tunis. His work Zera Yitzchak, commentaries on the Talmud with his funeral orations, was published in Tunis in 1768.