Torah Scroll

“Which mitzvah can unite all Jews in an ongoing way?” the Rebbe asked, answering, “The mitzvah to write a Torah scroll … especially a Torah scroll written on behalf of innocent children.”

The Torahs were technically considered state property and that tampering with them could result in the harshest punishments.

Julius sent a trusted courier to his parents with a note: “Give this man the most valuable items.”

How did the shoemaker lay his hands on the precious artifact? No one knew.

This week, for maybe the first time in my adult life, I attended a Hachnasat Sefer Torah that affected me deeply, in ways I could not have imagined beforehand.

“Your house is a sofer’s dream,” he said, referring to his job as a Torah scribe. Then he handed me a shopping bag containing 25 mezuzahs. Every year, during the month of Elul, which precedes Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to have a scribe inspect the par...