Derasha 21 on Vayikra 1:4

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 1 · Passuk 4

The Complete Passuk

וְסָמַ֣ךְ יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הָעֹלָ֑ה וְנִרְצָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Yoma 5a.

E-Daf / Tsurras Hadaf (size=3 where available)
PDF of the daf / source

Core Text

Core Text
ונרצה לו – וכי סמיכה מכפרת והלא אין כפרה אלא בדם, אלא מה ת״ל וסמך ונרצה, לומר לך שאם עשאה לסמיכה שירי מצוה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו לא כפר וכפר, מכאן לסמיכה שאינה מעכבת

English: “And it shall be accepted for him” – does leaning itself atone? Atonement comes only through the blood. Rather the verse teaches that if one treated the leaning as a residual mitzvah, Scripture still regards it as though atonement was achieved; from here we learn that s’michah is not indispensable.

Type of Learning

Clarification of the relative weight of the mitzvah of semichah — it is required yet does not invalidate the offering if omitted under certain conditions.

What Is Learned

While the leaning of hands is an important expression of identification with the offering, the essential atonement is effected by the blood service. The Torah still values the personal act of s’michah highly.

Audio (Daf Yomi):
dafyomi.org — Yoma
YICC / Rav Etshalom series