Why this word is great
SEMIKHAH — [Noun] The ordination of a rabbi, traditionally involving the laying on of hands. From Hebrew סְמִיכָה (s'mikha), from the root ש-מ-ך (ś-m-k), meaning 'to lean upon' or 'to support.' Unlike 'minui' (a bureaucratic appointment devoid of tactile ritual) or 'chaver' (a scholarly affiliation without full authority), semikhah is a transmission of lineage, weight, and trust—a tangible passing of the mantle. It is the pressure of palms on shoulders in a dim study hall, the whispered blessings of generations echoing off parchment-lined walls, the sudden, sobering awareness that one is no longer merely a student but now a vessel for tradition. To lean is to be leaned upon.