1,747. Who Gets There First

Hilchos Geirushin 5:15

If a man reaches a place first and stands there, after which his wife arrives and stands across from him, divorce is not effected if he throws a get to her and it lands within his four-cubit perimeter. This is the case even if the woman can bend down and pick up the get. If she arrives first and stands there, then he arrives and stands across from her and throws her the get, the get is invalid (i.e., rabbinically) even when it lands part close to him and part close to her. This is because it’s within her four-cubit perimeter; the get must reach her hand for divorce to be validated.

Hilchos Geirushin 5:16

Let’s say that a husband throws a get tied with string into his wife’s hand but he keeps on holding the end of the string. If he can pull the get back to himself, divorce is not effected until he breaks the string. If he can’t pull the get away, then divorce is effected.