Is there a concept
that having a letter in a communal sefer torah adds general protection?
The Lubavitcher
Rebbe on various public gatherings[1] would quote from the end of the
book of Daniel (Chapter 12:1) וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יַעֲמֹד מִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל הָעֹמֵד עַל בְּנֵי
עַמֶּךָ וְהָיְתָה עֵת צָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִהְיְתָה מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי עַד הָעֵת
הַהִיא וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ כָּל הַנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר “At that time, the great prince
Michael, who stands over your people, will arise. It
will be a time of trouble, the like of which has never been since they became a
nation. At that time, your people will be spared – all who are found written in
the book”. The Rebbe explained that (without
searching through the commentaries) the word בספר “in the book” refers to Hashem’s book, the sefer torah. The
verse concludes “At that time, your people will be spared – all who are
found written in the book” this refers to the ones that have a
letter in the sefer torah. The Rebbe urged that everyone (men, women, children,
and even newborns) should purchase their own personal letter in the sefer torah
to add in the Jewish peoples overall protection.
