The Unheeded Warning

Rav Menachem Mendel was once attending a seudas mitzvah along with some of his congregants, and the conversation turned towards the upcoming yahrzeit of Rav Yitzchok Issac of Kalov. One of the attendees asked how many years had passed since the Kalover Rebbe’s petira, and the chassid Reb Issac Shpitz answered: “I know for sure, since I was the first to be named after him, and I am 78 years old today.” When the Rav heard this, he warned Reb Isaac, “Don’t you know that older people keep their ages secret to protect them from the evil eye?”

Unfortunately, his warning fell on deaf ears, and a few days later, Reb Isaac was attacked and murdered by bandits. (Gedulas Mordechai)