Rabbi Chiyya (bar Abba or Rabbi Chiyya the Great) was originally from Bavel, but moved to Israel and became a student/study partner with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the compiler of the mishna.
He should not be confused with the third generation Amora also called Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba.
The Talmud has several stories telling of his greatness. We will go through some of them in this class.
Rabbi Chiyya is also the author of the Tosefta. So we will look a bit at the Tosefta, and see how it is similar to, yet different from, the mishna.