Unveiling the Essence of Chanukah

A crowded barrack in the Holocaust, a shoelace dipped in black shoe polish, and a rebbe about to light the Chanukah candle while everyone holds their breath. After two blessings, he pauses and scans the room before saying the third. Why? Chanukah has its own question: the Gemara describes the miracle of the oil, while the Rambam opens with the war and mentions the oil last. Why the difference, and why do Al HaNissim and Birkas Hamazon speak almost only about the war? One answer reframes what the fight was really about.