English: Does semicha itself atone? Atonement is only through blood! Rather, “and he shall lean… and it shall be accepted” teaches that if one treated semicha as leftover of the mitzvah, Scripture regards it as if he had not achieved [full] atonement [in that respect].
In the sugya: Blood is the true agent of kapparah. Semicha is not a rival mechanism. Linking “and he shall lean” to “and it shall be accepted” still gives semicha weight: treating it as disposable leftovers is treated with severity, as if the process failed in that dimension.
Type of Learning
Role of semicha vs blood — residual mitzvah whose neglect is not trivial.
What Is Learned
Semicha does not replace blood as the agent of kapparah. But the verse pairs leaning with acceptance, so treating semicha as optional leftovers is counted against the person — as if full acceptance were impaired in that respect.