What are the implications of "v'Af Gam Zos"?
Rashi: It implies that, even though Hashem will carry out the aforementioned curses regarding them, He will not reject them completely, to annul the covenant that He entered into with them.
Why are the connotations of the multiple expressions "Lo Me'astim, ve'Lo Ge'altim, Lechalosam, Lehafer B'risi Itam"?
Targum Yonasan: The four expressions refer to the four exiles - Bavel, Madai, Yavan and Edom, respectively. 1
Meshech Chachmah: Even if Yisrael become lowly amids their exile and want to abandon their heritage and be like the Nochrim, and think that Berlin is Yerushalayim - Hashem will not allow this. He will keep a remnant of Zera Avraham to establish their Divine mission in Eretz Yisrael.
Megilah, 11a #1: ? "Lo Me'astim" - in the days of the Greeks; ?ve?Lo Ge?altim ? in the days of Nevuchadnetzar; ?Lechalosam ? in the days of Haman; ?Lehafer B?risi Itam? ? i the days of the Persins; ?ki Ani Hashem Elokeihem? ? in the days of Gog and Magog?. 2
Megilah, 11a #2: "Lo Me'astim" - in the days of the Kasdim (the Babylonians), when I set-up for them Daniel, Mishael, Chananyah and Azaryah; ?ve?Lo Ge?altim ? in the days of the Greeks, when I set-up for them Shimon ha'Tzadik and the Chashmonai 3 and his sons and Matisyahu; ?Lechalosam? ? in the days of Haman, when I set-up for them Mord?chai and Esther; ?Lehafer B?risi Itam? ? i the days of the Persans, when I set-up for them Rebbi and Chchmim of the various generations; ?ki Ani Hashem Elokeihem? ? in the days of Mashi?ach when no natios of tingue will be able to subjugate them. 4
To inform us that Hashem will see us through each Galus and deliver us from the clutches of our oppressors.
See Torah Temimah, as to why the Gemara lists the eras in the wrong order.
It is not clear who ?Chashmonai and his sons is referring to. Perhaps it ought to read ?Matisyahu and his sons?.
Refer also to 26:45:3:1*.
