Get (divorce document)

A get, ghet, or gett (/ɡɛt/; Imperial Aramaic: גט, plural gittin גטין) is an important document used in Jewish religious law. It is used when a Jewish couple decides to end their marriage, or divorce. This special paper, called a get, has twelve lines written in an ancient language called Aramaic.

In a get, the husband gives the document to his wife. This short piece of paper includes a clear statement that says, “You are hereby permitted to all men.” When a wife receives this document, it means she is no longer married to her husband. After receiving a get, a woman is free to marry someone else if she chooses. The get also makes sure that certain rules about marriage no longer apply to her.

Having a get is very important in Jewish tradition. It helps protect the rights of both men and women during a divorce. Without a get, a woman might still be considered married under Jewish law, which can cause serious problems. This document makes sure everyone knows the marriage has ended properly.

Etymology

The word for the divorce document in the Bible is "Sefer Keritut." The word get might come from an old language called Sumerian. It traveled through different languages before becoming part of Hebrew.

Some wise teachers from long ago had different ideas about where the word get comes from. One thought it was related to a special kind of stone. Another thought it was because two letters in the Hebrew alphabet can't be used together in a word. Others thought it might come from Latin or an old Semitic root meaning to carve or write.

Requirements

In Jewish law, there are special rules for a divorce document called a get. It must be written by a special scribe called a sofer and witnessed by two people. A rabbi leads the ceremony, and everything is done under the guidance of a Jewish court. The husband must freely agree to give the get, and it must be given to the wife, who accepts it to make the divorce official.

The get has to follow strict rules too. It must be written on a new piece of paper with no chance to erase the words. It cannot be attached to the ground or pre-dated. If any of these rules are not followed, the divorce may not be valid. The husband must give the get freely, but the wife’s agreement is important in some traditions. Agreements about things like caring for children or sharing property must be made before the get is given.

Mesorevet get (get refusal)

In Jewish law, a divorce called a get can only be started by a husband. However, a wife can ask a special religious court for a divorce. If the court believes there is a good reason, they can tell the husband he must divorce his wife. If the husband refuses, the court can use different ways to persuade him, like fines or even putting him in prison in Israel. Outside of Israel, courts cannot use these powers.

Sometimes, a husband may refuse to give the get unless he gets something in return, like money or time with the children. Some people work to help prevent these unfair demands. In some cases, a wife may be unable to remarry because her husband will not give her the get. This situation gets attention, though it does not happen often. In some Jewish groups, there are ways for a marriage to end without a get if the husband refuses for no good reason.

Agunah

Main article: Legal responses to agunah

The rules about the get depend on the country's civil law, which is more important than Jewish marital law. Even if a couple gets a civil divorce, Jewish law still requires them to follow special steps to be truly divorced. This means the husband must give the get to the wife, and she must accept it. If they don't do this, they are still considered married in Jewish law, even if they are divorced by the government. It's not allowed for either person to marry someone else without a get. If they have children with a new partner without a get, those children might face special challenges in Jewish life.

In history

In the past, there were some very difficult situations involving divorce documents in Jewish law. One famous example is from the late 1700s, called the Get of Cleves. It caused disagreements among religious leaders because the husband showed signs of mental health problems when he gave the divorce paper to his wife.

During the Middle Ages, women had some ways to ask for a divorce if their husbands treated them badly, but sometimes this meant losing important money rights.

More recently, groups have sometimes used unfair or harmful methods to force people to agree to divorces. Activists have also worked to support women who are waiting for their husbands to agree to a divorce.

In popular culture

Some books and TV shows have talked about the idea of a get. For example, a book called Till Death Do Us Part by Rochelle Majer Krich talks about this. In an episode of The Sopranos, a character helps a man give a get to his wife. The movie A Serious Man by the Coen Brothers also uses the get in its story. Another film, Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, shows a woman trying to get a divorce from her husband.