(Mishnah): We may write with anything, e.g. with [black] ink, red dye, sap, vitriol or anything that lasts;

We may not write with drinks, fruit juice or anything that does not last.

We may write on anything, e.g. on an olive leaf, on a cow's horn and he gives to her the cow, or on a slave's hand and he gives to her the slave;

R. Yosi ha'Glili says, we may not write on something living, nor on food.

(Gemara): "V'Chasav" (he will write a Get), and not carve out. "V'Chasav", and not drip [dots in the shape of letters]. "V'Chasav", and not pour.

"Kasav", and not carve out - some teach that he may even carve out;

(Rav Chisda): The one who says that he may not carve out - this is when the writing protrudes (he carves out around the writing, so the writing sticks out), like coins;

The one who says that he may carve out - this is [engraving into a] tablet (he writes the forms of the letters).

"Kasav", and not drip - R. Yudan bar Shalom and R. Matanyah [argued about this]. One of them said that this is when he did not connect the dots, and the other said that it is even if he connected the dots;

"Kasav", and not pour.

(R. Chiya bar Aba): These people of the east are very clever. When one of them wants to send a hidden message to his friend, he writes in Mei Milin (water in which gall-nuts were soaked, on paper treated with gall-nuts. They are virtually the same color, so the writing cannot be seen.) The receiver pours ink without gall-nuts over it, and it is absorbed where there is writing (and now it can be read).

Question: If one did so on Shabbos, what is the law? (Is he liable for this?)

Answer (Mishnah): If one wrote on top of writing, he is exempt;

(R. Yochanan and Reish Lakish): This is when he wrote ink on top of ink, or red dye on top of red dye - but if he wrote ink on top of red dye, or ink on top of red dye, he is liable [for he changed the appearance. The same applies to one who spills ink on what was written in Mei Milin. - PNEI MOSHE]

(R. Yitzchak bar Mesharshiyah citing Rabanan there (in Bavel)): He is liable twice - for erasing and for writing.

If witnesses do not know how to sign [their names], Reish Lakish says, we mark their names in ink, and they write over this in red dye, or we mark their names in red dye, and they write over this in ink. (Just like for Shabbos, this is considered writing, also for Gitin.)

Objection (R. Yochanan): Because we engage in laws of Shabbos [and we are stringent to considered it writing], should we permit an Eshes Ish?!

Rather, we bring a blank paper, tear (cut out the letters of their names), and they sign (write where we tore).

Question: This is the handwriting of the first (the one who tore. The witnesses write exactly where the first one tore!) If [her husband] comes and protests, his protest will be sustained [for we cannot validate the signatures]!

Answer: Rather, the first makes wide tears (and the witnesses write thin letters inside them. Therefore, the style of the witnesses' writing is recognized.)

Question (R. Mana): Why don't we write their names with water [and they will write over the water]?

One who tears on hide in the form of writing, it is Kosher [for a Get]. One who writes [with water] on hide in the form of writing, it is Pasul. (It is better that witnesses write over a Pasul writing, than to write over a Kosher writing!)