Overview
Chapter 3 focuses on the requirement that a Get be written lishmah (specifically for the husband and wife involved), rules regarding names and identification, lost Gittin, and who may write a Get.
The central principle is:
A Get must be written specifically for this husband, this wife, and this divorce.
Halachah 1
Written Merely as Practice
If a scribe wrote a Get for practice or instruction and later a husband found that the names matched his and his wife’s names and used it:
The Get is invalid.
It was not written specifically for this divorce.
Halachah 2
Written for Another Couple
If a man wrote a Get for his wife and changed his mind, and another husband with identical names used that Get:
The Get is invalid.
Even though it was written for divorce, it was not written for this couple.
Halachah 3
Two Wives with the Same Name
If a husband has two wives with identical names and writes a Get for one but gives it to the other:
The Get is invalid.
It was not written for the woman being divorced.
Halachah 4
“Whichever Wife I Choose”
If a husband instructs a scribe:
“Write a Get and I will decide later whom to divorce,”
and later uses it:
The divorce is doubtful (Safek Gerushin).
A Get not written specifically for one woman cannot properly satisfy the requirement of lishmah.
Additionally:
Tracing over an existing Get for the sake of lishmah does not fix it.
Halachah 5
An Old Get (Get Yashan)
If a husband wrote a Get, changed his mind, and later was secluded with his wife before eventually using that Get:
Ideally:
He should not use it.
However, if he did:
The Get is valid.
The concern is only that people may mistakenly think the child was born after the divorce.
Halachah 6
Writing a Get Before Marriage
If a man says:
“Write a Get for a woman whom I plan to marry someday,”
the Get is invalid.
At the time of writing she was not yet his wife.
If he writes it for:
His current fiancée (arusah),
and later marries her and uses it,
The Get is valid.
A Get written for a future yevamah creates doubt.
Halachah 7
Pre-Printed Forms
To help scribes, Chazal allowed standard forms to be prepared in advance.
However the crucial parts must remain blank:
- Husband’s name
- Wife’s name
- Date
- “You are permitted to any man”
Those sections must be written specifically for the couple.
Halachah 8
Witnesses Signing Not Lishmah
If the Get itself was written properly but witnesses signed not lishmah:
The Rambam rules:
The Get is not void.
Since signatures are Rabbinic and valid delivery witnesses were present.
Nevertheless:
The Get is Rabbinically disqualified.
Halachah 9
A Lost Get
If a Get was lost and later found:
When found in a place where travelers are uncommon:
It may be used.
We assume it is the same Get.
Halachah 10
Similar Names
If another person with the same name exists in the area:
There is concern that the found Get belongs to him.
The resulting divorce is:
Safek Gerushin.
Halachah 11
Unique Identifying Marks
If witnesses remember a unique feature, such as:
- A specific hole in the document
- A unique identifying detail
then even after a long time:
The Get may be used.
Halachah 12
Two Gittin Mixed Up
If two Gittin become mixed together:
Both must be given to both women.
If one is lost:
The remaining one cannot be used.
Halachah 13
Multiple Names
If either spouse has more than one name:
The Get should contain:
- The primary name
- “And every other name by which he/she is known”
This is the proper formula.
Nickname usage may also be valid.
Halachah 14
Wrong Name
If the Get uses a secondary name instead of the primary known name:
The Get is invalid.
Similarly:
If the name of either spouse or city is changed incorrectly,
The Get is invalid.
Halachah 15
Who May Write a Get?
Anyone may write a Get except:
- A non-Jew
- A slave
- A deaf-mute
- A mentally incompetent person
- A minor
Even the wife herself may write her own Get.
Halachah 16
Why These Five Are Disqualified
Because writing a Get requires intent:
Lishmah.
Non-Jews act on their own initiative.
Others lack the necessary halachic capacity or understanding.
A Get written by these individuals is invalid even if properly signed and delivered.
Halachah 17
They May Write the Form
If one of these individuals writes only the standard form, leaving the essential sections blank:
And a competent Jewish adult later fills in the crucial information:
The Get is valid.
Halachah 18
Supervision
A deaf-mute, mentally incompetent person, or minor may write the boilerplate form under supervision.
However, a non-Jew or slave should not do so even under supervision.
Halachah 19
Writing on Shabbat or Yom Kippur
If a Get was written on Shabbat or Yom Kippur unintentionally:
The divorce takes effect.
If it was written intentionally on Shabbat and then delivered:
The Get is invalid because the witnesses become Torah-disqualified.
If written intentionally on Yom Tov:
The Get is Rabbinically invalid (pasul).
Key Principles of Chapter 3
| Halachah | Summary |
| 1 | Practice Get cannot be used |
| 2 | Get written for another couple is invalid |
| 3 | Get must be written for the specific wife |
| 4 | “Whichever wife I choose” creates doubt |
| 5 | Old Get is valid after the fact |
| 6 | Future wife cannot have a Get written in advance |
| 7 | Pre-printed forms are permitted |
| 8 | Signatures not lishmah create a pasul Get |
| 9 | Lost Get may sometimes be used |
| 10 | Same-name confusion creates doubt |
| 11 | Unique identifiers resolve doubt |
| 12 | Mixed-up Gittin require special procedure |
| 13 | Use primary names and aliases |
| 14 | Wrong names invalidate a Get |
| 15 | Five categories may not write a Get |
| 16 | Writing requires proper intent |
| 17 | Disqualified persons may write only the form |
| 18 | Supervision rules for writing |
| 19 | Get written on Shabbat or Yom Tov has special rules |
Chapter Theme
Chapter 3 develops the Torah requirement of lishmah. The Rambam emphasizes that a Get must be written specifically for the husband, wife, and divorce at hand. The chapter also establishes careful safeguards regarding names, identification, lost Gittin, and who is qualified to participate in writing the document, ensuring absolute certainty in matters of personal status.