Opposite of Haughty

מכניע זדים.  Why do we say (according to those that have this text,) to subdue the wicked?  We also say in the al hanissim וזדים ביד עוסקי תורתך, why specifically the זדים and how is it the opposite of עוסקי תורתך?  The possuk in Mishlay (21:24) says זֵ֣ד יָ֖הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֜וֹשֶֹ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן.  We see that a זד is one who does evil with a haughtiness.  That is why we pray that the insolent should be subdued (Sefaria translation.)  That was the battle against the Greeks.  Chazal enacted Chanukah as a holiday of הלל והודאה.  The word הודאה means submission like מודים חכמים לר"מ because to give thanks to someone, you must acknowledge that you need them (כמפורסם בשם רב הוטנר.)  The fight against the Greeks was a fight against this middah of זד.  The possuk in Mishlay teaches us that the haughtiness is called a לץ.  What is the connection between haughtiness and a לץ?  The לץ is not able to accept mussar, any adjustments to his/her life because s/he is ego-centric.  They believe that everything revolves around them and they have nothing to correct.  It is an ענף on being haughty.  Such a person can not bow themselves before the Torah.  That is why Chazal see the זד as the opposite of the עוסקי תורתך.  That is why the whole enactment of the holiday is to counteract זד through הודאה.  (Based upon a shmuz by R' Elefant.)  That is the סמיכות at the end of Shemone Esrai ונפשי כעפר לכל תהיה פתח לבי בתורתך (from Berachot 17a,) it is humility that is required to be able to acquire Torah (see Likutay Sichos volume 30 Toldot sicha 1.) 

The Kabbilistic books say that just as there is a Pharaoh of tumah in these parshiot, there is a level of  Pharaoh in kedusha.  The word פרעה can also be constructed as פריעה, to reveal (see the Zohar.)  The ability to reveal the light of soul.  The Alter Rebbe points out that פרעה has the same letters as העפר.  The way to accomplish this is by being humble.  It is through humility that one is able to love the self-focus on their own body and tap into the desire of the soul.