Minus 20°C, Plus One Mitzvah: 82-Year-Old Wraps Tefillin for the First Time
This short video captures an incredible story of divine providence, unwavering dedication, and heavenly assistance—leading to an 82-year-old Jew putting on tefillin for the first time in his life. The moment unfolded on the eve of 24 Tevet, in a place so remote it doesn’t even appear on the map • Full Story, Watch
A Miraculous Journey: An 82-Year-Old Jew Puts on Tefillin for the First Time in a Remote Corner of Quebec
The story begins in a Torah class, where one of the participants learned of a Jewish man living in isolation in Quebec, Canada. This participant knew Rabbi Yehuda Dahan from Montreal and estimated that, under the right circumstances, the rabbi might be just a two-hour drive from the man’s location. He also believed Rabbi Dahan, known for his passion for mitzvot, would eagerly make the trip just to help a fellow Jew don tefillin.
First spoiler: The actual distance was five hours by car.
Second spoiler: The man in question had little interest in Judaism—or rabbis.
After several transatlantic phone calls and WhatsApp messages, Rabbi Dahan finally made contact with the man. And then—silence.
In his humility, Rabbi Dahan did not share what happened next. Only with gentle persistence did the full story emerge.
Determined to reach this Jew, Rabbi Dahan gathered a few students from his yeshiva, packed some treats, and embarked on the arduous five-hour journey. But the challenges didn’t end there. Upon arrival, they had to trek an additional two kilometers through deep snow from the main road to the man’s secluded cabin. (No need to look for it on a map—it’s not there.)
And yet, when they arrived, the man refused to put on tefillin.
But just moments before sunset on the eve of 24 Tevet, with the bitter cold of -20°C surrounding them, something inside him began to thaw. Finally, for the first time in his life, he agreed.
Thus, the surreal moment captured in the video was born: In the middle of nowhere, in a region where all the locals are Baptists, amid freezing temperatures and without electricity (only a small generator for power), an 82-year-old Jew celebrated his Bar Mitzvah—just minutes before sunset.
This extraordinary story perfectly embodies the Rebbe’s teaching about the miraculous light that shone for the Jewish people during the plague of darkness in Egypt: “And for all the children of Israel, there was light in their dwellings.” This divine light enables Jews to fulfill their mission of elevating spiritual sparks—even in the most unexpected and distant places.
It’s astonishing to think that just 10 or 20 years ago—let alone centuries past—finding such a Jew would have been nearly impossible, let alone reaching him. Yet today, thanks to WhatsApp and Waze, this incredible moment became a reality.
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This should be a mitzvah worthy to at least push משיח a good bit closer than he already has to be! Thank you and G-d bless you Rabbi Dahan and fellow students!!!