Posted on 10/22/25
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 22, 2025 - When trying to describe someone who is very caring and concerned about others, the oft used metaphor is that the person has a “big heart”. Perhaps that metaphor needs to be modified somewhat in order to convey a deeper appreciation of the middah we are extolling. Assuming their actual heart size is the same as every other healthy person’s, the real difference between them and most people lies in how much room in their heart is taken up by themselves, which in turn determines how much space is left for others to occupy. The truly great and humble among us are those who have managed to minimize the amount of themselves in their own heart, leaving more space for Hakadosh Baruch Hu and other people.
I had the zchus to know Rabbi Hauer zt”l for more than 45 years. We both grew up in Montreal and attended the Yeshiva Gedola there. We both went on to Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, where we were roommates and chavrusas over the years. After marrying, we carpooled together with other kollel yungerleit from town every day to Ner Yisroel. In ‘89 I moved out of town to help start a kollel and he went on to the Rabbonus. Boruch Hashem, despite being far away from each other for 27 years, until I returned to Baltimore in May ’16, we always managed to stay in touch. We spoke over the phone a few times a year and would try to see each other when I came back to Baltimore for Pesach and Sukkos bein hazmanim. It was one of those relationships that no matter how much time went by in between conversations, every time we spoke felt like a continuation from where we left off the last time.
As the decades passed by, Reb Moshe’s (I no longer felt comfortable calling him Moishie) gadlus in Torah and avoda became more and more apparent and well known. Despite this, during our conversations he would not speak about himself, what he was working on, or his achievements as a Rov and manhig of his kehilla. It was a strange phenomenon. We would share family updates – both happy and sad - talk in learning, share a machshava and reminisce with humor. But it would end there. It was no secret around Baltimore and beyond that he was growing in so many ways, and that his hashpaah on the masses and individuals was rapidly increasing exponentially. Yet, as much as I tried to get it out of him, he rarely spoke about what he was accomplishing in his avodas hakodesh. I believe he wasn’t making a statement or wanting to be secretive. Rather it was a function of his great anivus. It was somewhere between a conscious decision to not talk about himself, or perhaps an even higher madreiga of simply not feeling the need to do so. Over time, I came to respect his desire to keep it that way and not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable I decided to rely on others for reports of his greatness.
When I moved back to Baltimore it was a zchus and, if I may say, a nachas to behold the fantastic hatzlacha of yedid nafshi, up closer. We discussed and hoped to set a time to have a seder kavua. He kept saying he wanted to do it and apologized for not being able to commit. Nonetheless, it became clear that this was a pipedream in light of his beyond full schedule.
Then one day, he called and invited me to his office and informed me of his decision - based on consultation with Gedolei Torah - to take the Executive Vice President position at the OU. Despite not being a member at BJSZ, I was becoming emotional. What about all the harbotzas Torah through his shiurim, drashos and writing for his shul and beyond? What about the greater Baltimore community, both the tzibbur and the yechidim who came to rely on him? There was so much more he could do over time. How could he walk away from all of this?
His short answer sums it all up. “I’m doing this because I feel I can accomplish more for Klal Yisroel in this position”. Since he never spoke about himself, at first it struck me as a little odd and out of character for him to talk that way. Moreover, why would he take such great risk with a high-profile position, when he had his Rabbonus and all its success for life, if he wanted it?
Again, the answer is simple. It never was about “him”. He himself took up no space at all in his own heart. Only the Ribbono Shel Olam and Klal Yisroel were of concern to him and filled up the entirety of his pure heart. As Dovid HaMelech writes, “v’libi chalall b’kirbi” (Tehillim 109:22), “my heart is hollow within me”, and Chazal (Baba Basra 17a) explain to mean: hollow and empty of the yetzer hara or any other agenda, but Your will Hashem. Just as the Rambam writes in his description of the true Melech Yisroel, “shelibo hu lev kol khal Yisroel” (Hilchos Melachim 3:6), “his heart is the heart of all khal Yisroel”, so too Reb Moshe’s full and open heart allowed and drove him to so selflessly do literally anything he could for Hashem and his fellow yidden in Eretz Yisroel and anywhere in the world!
Indeed, it was clear to all that he carried himself with malchus and the responsibilities that come with it. Yet, along with great anivus he remained the consummate eved, whose great heart had only one concern, the will of his Master. With the support and partnership of his Rebbetzin and mishpacha, he was focused on only one thing in his short life; always doing more for Hashem and His people. He wholeheartedly and so clearly believed that was his mission back then during our meeting in his office, and the syata d’shmaya so evident in his immeasurable hatzlacha over his years at the OU are testimony that it was the right decision all along. Lech b’shalom, yedidi.
Yehi zichro boruch.