Rabbi Yitzchak Taieb was born in 1786, the son of Rabbi Binyamin Taieb. A student of Rabbi Yosef Zarka, a contemporary of the Chida, he first served as a dayan under Rabbi Nehorai Djermon, and his rulings are cited in the books of the rabbis of his time. On the death of Rabbi David Chizkiya Gaz in 1818 he became chief rabbi of Tunis, a post he held for the rest of his life.

He had exceptional gifts, evident on every page of his writings. The son of Rabbi Chaim Palagi relates that when he sat in the rabbinical court, he would listen to the pleadings while teaching and answering the questions passed to him, writing his rulings without ever pausing in his replies. Those who doubted that a man could do two things at once were convinced on seeing the quality of his decisions.

His major work, Erech HaShulchan, in five volumes following the order of the Shulchan Aruch, is regarded as a foundational work of Tunisian halacha. He also wrote Chukat HaPesach on the laws of Passover, Vavei HaAmudim on Sefer Yere'im, Vayizra Yitzchak on the Torah, and Sefer HaZikaron, halachic rules in alphabetical order.

He passed away in the month of Shevat 5590 (1830) and was buried in the old Jewish cemetery of Tunis; when it was expropriated, his remains were moved to the Borgel cemetery, near the tomb of his nephew, Rabbi Yitzchak Chai Taieb.