The tribunal is only concerned that both parties act with complete understanding, without deception or duress, so that no suspicion is cast upon the legality and validity of the divorce. According to Jewish law, the court does not grant a divorce or issue a decree. Rather, the husband and wife divorce each other, with the husband granting the divorce to the wife. Ceremonials play an important part in Jewish life. Each significant crisis situation is invested with religious significance.
Divorce is also a time of emotional extremity.
The religious ritual of divorce is peculiar to Jews. Since a Jewish man and woman are married not only by the authority of the state, but by religious vows as well, obtaining a civil divorce alone does not traditionally complete a severance, and a religious procedure was created to end the marriage. No further embellishments are stated as to the formula employed in the Biblical document. The popular term for divorce is Get , a religious document of twelve lines of text that bears the signature of two witnesses and attests to the termination of the state of marriage. The prerequisites for a Get are the consent of both partners and the husband s direct authorization before a rabbi for the writing, signing, and transmission of the divorce to his wife.