57. While they were still traveling, Rabbi Aba met them. Rabbi Yosi said, Behold the Shechinah is here, because one of the masters of the Mishnah is here with us. Rabbi Aba asked, What are you engaged in? Rabbi Yosi said, "I will descend with you into Egypt" (Beresheet 46:4). When Jacob descended into Egypt, as written, "Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt..." (Shemot 1:1), you learn that they all descended with Jacob into Egypt. THE IMPLICATION IS THAT ALL THE CHARIOTS AND HOSTS DESCENDED WITH JACOB INTO EGYPT AND NOT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ALONE AS IS IMPLIED IN THE VERSE, "I WILL DESCEND WITH YOU INTO EGYPT."

58. Rabbi Aba said to him, Yet this one was alone. He opened the discussion saying: "The word of Hashem came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of Chaldeans by the river K'var" (Yechezkel 1:3). There are three difficulties here. One difficulty is that we learned that the Shechinah does not dwell outside the land of Yisrael WHILE THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL IS IN THE LAND OF CHALDEANS. Another difficulty is that he was not trusted like Moses, as is written, "For he is the trusted one in all My house" (Bemidbar 12:7). But he, EZEKIEL, revealed and publicized all the treasures of the King, MORE THAN MOSES. And another difficulty is that apparently he was not of a wholesome mind, FOR IF HE WAS OF A WHOLESOME MIND HE WOULD NOT HAVE REVEALED SO MUCH.

59. HE ANSWERS, Rather this is the explanation of our Mishnah. Heaven forbid that he revealed more than necessary, because Ezekiel was perfect in his mind. Whatever he revealed was with the permission of the Holy One, blessed be He, and it was necessary that he reveal whatever he revealed. For so we have learned, "One who is accustomed to bear pain..." (AS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE ZOHAR, VERSES 7-14) and all was necessary. And never did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave Yisrael in exile before He came and caused His Shechinah to dwell with them. And of course, it was with Jacob, who was descending into exile, that the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah and the supernal holy beings and the Chariots all descended with Jacob. As it is written, "Who came into Egypt with Jacob" (Shemot 1:1). AND WITH THIS IS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF RABBI YOSI ABOVE - THAT EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS, "I WILL DESCEND WITH YOU INTO EGYPT," IT DOES NOT IMPLY HE ALONE, BUT RATHER WITH HIS SHECHINAH AND HIS HOSTS AND HIS CHARIOTS. FOR THIS IS THE WAY OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, IN ALL EXILES, AS EZEKIEL REVEALED BY THE EXILE OF BABYLON.