The Palestinian Talmud on Mental Impairment

Hebrew

[What are] the signs [symptoms] of the mentally impaired?

One who goes out [alone] at night.

One who spends the night in the graveyard.

One who tears his clothing.

One who destroys what is given to him.

Rebbi Huna said: [This applies only] to one in whom all of them [the behavioral patterns] can be found. Because if [one should] not [find all of them], I would explain [the behaviors as follows]:

One who goes out alone at night—[this refers to a] “dog-human” [Greek, kunanthropos].

One who spends the night in graveyards—[this refers to] one burning incense for demons [or, spirits].

One who tears his clothing—[this refers to a] kulikus [or, kinukus].

One who forfeits what is given to him—[this refers to a] qordiaqos [or, kinukus].

R. Yoḥanan said: Even one of them [i.e., the behavioral patterns] is sufficient to prove that one is mentally impaired.

R. Avin [alt., Bun] said: I agree with what R. Yoḥanan has said: Even one of them is sufficient to prove that one is mentally impaired. Except for the case of one who forfeits everything that is given to him. For even a person considered to be extremely mentally impaired would not forfeit everything that is given to him.

[In contrast to what has been said above,] the [condition called] qordiaqos does not exhibit any of those [symptoms]. R. Yosi said: One who is confused.