The Chida mentions that we find in Sefer Daniel that there are Arba Malchios, there are 4 kingdoms of our Galus. They are; 1) Bavel who destroyed the first Bais Hamikdash, followed by 2) Paras Umadai, which was the time of the Galus, followed by 3) Yavan ,the Greeks in the beginning of the Bayis Sheini, followed by 4) Edom, our present Galus. Why isn't Mitzrayim one of the Malchios of our Galus? After all, didn't we go to Galus in Mitzrayim first? The Chida says that Mitzrayim is the Maasei Avos Siman L'banim for all the Galuyos. Beraishis 46:8 (ואלו שמות בני ישראל הבאים מִצְרַיְמָה). The word בּאִָים contains the initials of the 4 galuyos: Bavel, Edom, Yavan, and Madai.
There is more. Klal Yisrael went to Mitzrayim 4 times. The Shevatim went down first as it says in Beraishis in the beginning of Perek 42 to try to get food, then they went a second time together with Binyamin. Then Yosef revealed himself. The third time they went down as it says in Beraishis 46:27. The 4th time is after Yaakov Avinu is buried and they came back to Mitzrayim. So the Shevatim arrived in Mitzrayim 4 times. The Chida says that those 4 times are K'neged the 4 Galuyos.
The first, when they went to Mitzrayim to try to find some type of rescue during a time of Tzarah corresponds to Galus Bavel when the Jews went to Bavel and established a Jewish community there, so that Klal Yisrael could regroup.
The second time the Jews went to Mitzrayim corresponds the Galus of Madai, that is when they went down with Binyamin. It started off very bitterly but during that Galus, Yosef revealed himself. The same thing of the Galus of the 70 years the time of Madai. During that time Reshus was given to build the Bais Hamikdash. During that time the miracle of Purim took place, during the Galus. When they went down the second time, you remember from the Chumash the Shevatim drank wine together with Yosef. This is a Remez to the drinking of wine on Purim. They brought down Binyamin, a Remez to Mordechai Ish Yemini, from shevet Binyamin.
The third Galus, when they went down with the shivim nefesh, is a symbol for Galus Yavan. A time of danger of assimilation. We find that Yaakov was afraid when they would come down that Mitzrayim was greeting them happily and eagerly. There was a danger of assimilation. The Misyavnim were during the third Galus.
Of course the 4th Galus, our present Galus, is the longest and the most difficult. The 4th time the Shevatim went down was by Kevuras Yaakov. After Yaakov was buried they went back down and then the Koshi Hashibud began shortly thereafter. Thus, this Galus is the most difficult one of all.
But, of course, as in every Maaseh Avos Siman L'banim, there is a lesson of Nechama here as well. Just as in Mitzrayim, Klal Yisrael called to the Ribbono Shel Olam and as the Posuk says in Shemos 2:25 (אֱלֹקים )וַיֵּדַע, He brought the Galus to the end. As long as they resisted the Lo Shinu Es Shemam, Lo Shinu Es Lishonam, as long as they resisted the assimilation, they had the Geula. So too, we find Nechama in the hope for a Geula and the Yetziya from the 4th Galus will be like the Yetzia from Mitzrayim; the Yetzia from this 4th Galus will be full of miracles and joy.
