Date: 5564
From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer
To: Rabbi Meir
The Chasam Sofer permits cutting out a damaged Divine Name from a Sefer Torah when the Name itself is the cause of the defect forcing the entire sheet into genizah, ruling that such an act is constructive rather than destructive and thus not prohibited by "lo sa'asun kein." He recommends including surrounding words in the excision, preferring indirect causation (gerama) where possible, and strictly forbids peeling the Name since sanctity penetrates the full thickness of the parchment.
Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer YD §264