Rebbe Rebbe

Yes, true the Rebbi must treat his Talmidim with love and devotion as if it were his own son.

But possibly there is a deeper pshat and intent:

The Rambam (Hilchos Rotzeach 7:1) writes that just as is the case if a student is murdered by accident we send the student together with גלות ערי מקלט his Rebbi to the same holds true that if the Rebbi must go to Golus we send the Talmidim .ערי מקלט with him to the

There is a discussion in the Achronim what is the reason that we send all his Talmidim with the Rebbi. I believe that the Pshat maybe the reason for sending the Rebbi with the Talmid, the Rambam writes, is because he גלות needs his Rebbi to grow in Torah. The Torah conditions and without Torah one is not וחי that it should be ערי מקלט alive.

This is also true if the Rebbi must go to Golus without his Talmidim, because the Rabbis whole life-is-his-Talmidim!!! Sending the Rebbi to Golus without his Talmidim would be