Rabbi Moshe Hauer ultimately turned to the mesorah he had received from our mutual rebbi, Rav Yaakov Weinberg
Rabbi Moshe Hauer’s unique combination of deep Torah scholarship, extraordinary middos, and unwavering passion for Torah and Klal Yisrael made him singularly suited for this role. We were confident that the OU’s professional staff, the Orthodox community, and the wider community would embrace him wholeheartedly. The real question was whether Rabbi Hauer himself would accept the role.
It took three trips to Baltimore before Rabbi Hauer began to seriously entertain the invitation, with characteristically thoughtful and measured deliberation. He had several hesitations. His deep love for his kehillah made it difficult for him to imagine lessening his involvement with its members. He also cherished his role as husband and father and was understandably reluctant to assume responsibilities that might further encroach upon his already limited family time.
Yet what I sensed to be his greatest hesitation was the prospect of reducing the time he devoted to the study and teaching of Torah. I appreciated his reluctance. The thought of curtailing his immersion in Torah learning was genuinely painful for him. But as I anticipated, he ultimately turned to the mesorah he had received from our mutual rebbi, Rav Yaakov Weinberg.
AS he often shared, Rabbi Moshe Hauer’s parents were a powerful source of inspiration and influence. Yet through our decades of close relationship, I came to see how deeply his life choices and values were deeply informed by the mesorah we both received from our rebbi.
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