R'Shimon Ben Yochai says that wherevever Bnei Yisroel were exiled the Shechina is with them. The Gem. brings a proof that this happened by the exile of Egypt from Shmuel 2:27.

The Torah Temimah explains why the posuk "Onaychi Eyred Imcha" ( Bereshis 46:4) is not a better proof of this.

because the word Eyred although meaning 'going down' does not necessarily mean going down to stay with them, it might simply mean just to accompany them on the way down. But in Shmuel the word nigleisi is used.

A number of questions bother me here.

1. Later in Shemos 3:8 when Hash-m is speaking to convince Moshe to go to Mitzrayim, He says "VoEred Lehatzilo" implying that He is now not with them in Mitzrayim, but that He will go down to rescue them.

2. The GRA makes a distiction in Kol Eliyahu in Parashas Balak regarding the word Im or Imo and Es or Ito stating that the word Im "Yoreh Hashivuy Bedavar Hahu Dekomayri Upeulas Shneyhem Al Kavanah Achas Mamesh"!. So although there may not be a proof from the word Ered there should be a proof from the words Ered Imach !

3. Contrary to what I first thought the word "nigleisi" meant in Shmuel, and therefore it was a better proof from there, it does not mean exiled but rather revealed acc. to the Maharsha. Of course Hash-m is omnipresent; but doesn't the Gem. want to show us how dear we are to Hash-m that He exiles himself together with us to Galus and not that He can reveal Himself wherever He wants?!.

Kol Tuv

alex lebovits, toronto, canada