Civilization was in the throes of a miserable famine and the ten sons of Yaakov traveled to Egypt to purchase food like everyone else. To their surprise and ultimate chagrin, they were singled out from the multitude of international customers and summoned to appear before the viceroy. After prostrating themselves in the presence of royalty the viceroy inquired after their families in Canaan. The interview took on an intimate nature and the closest guarded secrets of the family were divulged. Unwittingly they revealed that there was a younger brother at home and a brother that went missing years before. To their astonishment and great distress, the viceroy accused them of espionage and arrested them on the spot. He presented them with an impossible ultimatum: To prove their innocence, nine of them would be held hostage until their youngest brother was brought to Egypt. The brothers faced a libel of epic proportions. Nothing of their behavior warranted special attention, let alone such a preposterous accusation and the idea that Binyamin coming to Egypt would prove their innocence seemed downright silly. They were also cognizant of the fact that their grandparents Avraham and Sarah faced a similar challenge in Egypt when they arrived there during a famine. Nevertheless, they did not attribute their troubles to the pathetic penchant of Egyptian monarchs to harass Hebrews. Rather, they understood that everything is orchestrated by G-d and surely their current problems were the result of an error that needed correction. A thorough soul searching determined that the tragic sale of Yosef that had occurred 21 years earlier was the single sin they had yet to correct. They said to one another, “We are indeed guilty regarding our brother, for we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we did not listen. That is why this misfortune has come upon us.” (Genesis 42:21) Their verbal declaration of guilt was the crucial process of Teshuvah (repentance) that paved the way for their salvation. Tyrannical accusations and persecution are beside the point. The relationship with the One pulling the strings from Above makes all the difference. The Maccabees at the time of the Chanukah story understood this same truth. The Assyrian Greek empire did not successfully conquer Israel by dint of their military prowess - and training an army comparable in size and strength would accomplish nothing. The terrible oppression of the time was a reflection of a divine reality and overcoming the enemy would be the result of genuine self-sacrifice. We celebrate the victory of the few over the many and the righteous over the wicked, by kindling flames of light and warmth in increasing measure. It is crucial to consistently grow in our Torah study and Mitzvah observance, thus introducing more divine light to the world. By focusing on the true dynamics of reality we experience miracles in our personal lives and in the world at large.