1,713. Instructing That a Get Be Written When in Danger

Hilchos Geirushin 2:11

If the husband tells the others, "Remove her,” “Let her go,” “Permit her” “Leave her” or “Assist her,” it is unclear whether or not he intends that she should be divorced or perhaps something else. Therefore, the others shouldn’t write a get. If they do write a get and deliver it to this man’s wife, the divorce is in doubt.

Hilchos Geirushin 2:12

If a man tells others to write a get for his wife, they should write it, sign it and deliver it to him; they should not deliver it to his wife without explicit instructions to do so. If they do deliver it to the woman, divorce is not effected. This is the case when the man is healthy. Let’s say, however, that he’s seriously ill and his condition is worsening, or perhaps he’s arrested by the secular authorities – even for financial reasons, or he’s leaving on an ocean journey or with a caravan. In any of these cases, if he instructs that they write a get for his wife, they should write it, sign it and deliver it to her. This is because his intention in these cases is obviously that they should deliver the get to his wife.