Rashi notes that the Torah uses the present tense in this pasuk. He explains that the verb tense refers to the actual time at which they arrived in Egypt. This seems surprising. If the pasuk is referring back to the time of arrival, it should have stated; “Who came to Egypt”.
The Belzar Rebbe z.t.l. derives from this pasuk an important lesson for the Jew in galus, exile. The Jews must always view themselves as having just arrived on this very day. They are still brand new arrivals. Their source of guidance is still Yaakov, the Patriarch. Regardless of the many long hard years which Klal Yisrael have spent in galus, they should never consider themselves as natives rooted in the culture of the land. Rather, they should perceive themselves as newcomers attached to their country of their origin and to their national culture. We, as Jews, have our own country of origin and national religious culture from which we draw our inspiration. Indeed, once we forget this, we are truly in galus.
