The Palestinian Talmud on Qordiaqos Syndrome

Aramaic

What [is] qordiaqos? R. Yosi said: [This means someone who is] confused. A case came before R. Yosi regarding a weaver. They gave him red in black, and he became tired. They gave him black in red, and he became tired.¹

Qordiaqos [means] this [phenomenon], about which the sages said: [Someone who] at times [behaves like] one [who is] mentally impaired and sometimes [behaves like] one [who is] fit. Thus, he is [regarded as] mindful [lit., a seeing person] in all respects. [But should we not better rule as follows:] As long as one [behaves like] one mentally impaired, one is [considered] mentally impaired in all respects. [However,] when one [seems] fit, one is [regarded as] mindful [lit., a seeing person] in all respects.

A case came before Samuel, and he said: As long as someone is fit, he may hand out a writ of divorce.