Why is Babylonian Talmud (Bavli) studied more than Jerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi)? It almost seems as if Jerusalem Talmud is neglected. What is the difference between the two, are the laws different and why are there 2 versions?
There are three main reasons: The development of the Yerushalmi was cut short by the intense Roman/Christian persecutions of the Jewish communities of Israel. Eventually, in the Fourth Century, life became so difficult that most Jews literally had to abandon the country and most of those people moved to Babylonia. So the Yerushalmi is an unfinished work.
Since the “authors” of the Bavli were aware of all the decisions and conclusions of the Yerushalmi, they certainly took them into account in their own work and we can therefore assume that any legal differences between the two Talmuds were created consciously with greater weight given to the later edition. From a legal standpoint, therefore, it makes more sense to learn Bavli because its content is closer to our practical laws.
Since the Bavli is (as we explained) more authoritative, it attracted the attention of later generations – in particular those of the Rabanon Savarorai generations and the Geonim generations. The former group (of the Sixth Century) greatly enhanced and edited the Bavli (by, for instance, inserting all kinds of punctuation like separating dots, “question marks” – formally introducing questions with “mesivei” and “aisivei” etc.). This extensive enhancement makes the study of Bavli a lot easier and, presumably, more productive.
By the way, the Gerrer Chasidic sect has a daily study schedule for Yerushalmi (finishing in three or four years)…so the study isn’t completely neglected!
With best regards,
Rabbi Boruch Clinton