The earliest use of the geṭ, an institution peculiar to the Jews, can not be established with certainty. Although the suggestion of the Rabbis that it has existed among the Jews since the time of Abraham (Yalḳ. Shime'oni, i. 95) may be regarded as fanciful, yet in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 the geṭ is spoken of as being well known to the people. The complexity of the system of procedure in the writing and the delivery of the geṭ is, however, of much later origin. Even in the times of the Mishnah, the form seems to have been very simple, requiring, besides the date, place, and the names of the parties, the phrase “Thou art free to any man” (Giṭ 85b). It was later, in the Babylonian schools, that the minute details in the preparation of the geṭ were established, and its form and phraseology fixed. These minute regulations were intended to diminish mistakes and misunderstandings; for only such men were able to prepare the geṭ as were well versed in the Law and were familiar with Jewish institutions (Ḳid. 13a).
The order to the scribe to prepare the geṭ must come directly from the husband. If he directs more than one person to write the geṭ, only one of them must write it, while the others must sign their names as witnesses (Giṭ. 66b). The bill of divorce may be written on any material except such as pertains to the soil, and with any kind of indelible ink (ibid. 19a, 26b). The geṭ must be especially written for the parties to be divorced; and blank forms which are later filled out, although admissible in other cases, are considered void when used for a bill of divorce (ibid. 24a, 26a). The form of the geṭ, as described by Maimonides, and used with a few slight changes to the present day, is as follows:
“On the . . . day of the week, the . . . day of the month of . . . in the year . . . since the creation of the world, according to the numbering we are accustomed to regard here in the town of . . . (which is also called . . .), which is situated on the river . . ., and contains wells of water, I, . . . (who am also called . . . ), the son of . . . (who is also called . . .), who am this day in . . . (which is also called . . .), the city situated on the river . . . and containing wells of water, do hereby consent with my own will, being under no restraint, and I do release, send away, and put aside thee, my wife, . . . (who is also called . . . ), daughter of . . . (who is also called . . .), who art this day in . . . (which is also called . . .), the city situated on the river . . . and containing wells of water, who hast been my wife from time past; and thus I do release thee, and send thee away and put thee aside, that thou mayest have permission and control over thyself to go to be married to any man that thou mayest desire; and no man shall hinder thee from this day forever, and thou art permitted to any man, and this shall be unto thee from me a bill of dismissal, a document of release, and a letter of freedom, according to the law of Moses and Israel. “. . . the son of. . ., witness. . . . the son of. . ., witness.”
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Author: Jewish Encyclopedia
Keywords: Marriage, Divorce, Bill of divorcement, Certificate of divorce, Certificate of divorcement, Bill of divorce, Divorce document, Remarriage
Bible reference(s): Deuteronomy 24:1-3, Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:4, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18
Source: “Geṭ (’Bill of Divorce’),” 1906.
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