The sudden petirah of Rabbi Moshe Hauer leaves a Jewish world bereft

Photos: Binyamin Ansbacher,Jeff Cohn Photography, OU Archives and Naftali Goldgrab

Rabbi Moshe Hauer’s sudden petirah on Shemini Atzeres at the age of 60 left so many reeling in shock. He was an accomplished talmid chacham, led a Baltimore kehillah for over two decades, and served as the gracious, dignified public face of the OU as its executive vice president. But for all his widespread influence, he cared acutely for the welfare of every Yid – until the heart that bore everyone’s pain gave its final beat

The emotion-soaked days of Elul, leading up to the Yamim Noraim, flowing into Succos, Shemini Atzeres, and finally, Simchas Torah, always found a whirlwind of expression in the halls of Baltimore’s Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion shul.

Each year, Rabbi Moshe Hauer, who served as the shul’s rav from 1994 to 2020, then moved on to serve as executive vice president in the OU but remained as rabbi emeritus, would daven for the amud on the first night of Selichos. His voice trembled with feeling, particularly as he sang “L’maancha” — one of his favorite songs.

A few days later he would daven Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah and then on Yom Kippur, repeatedly breaking down in tears throughout the tefillah.

“Like a malach” is how mispallelim describe his visage during the Yamim Noraim.

The intensity then gave way to the joy of Succos, concluding with Hoshana Rabbah, when Rabbi Hauer would deliver a three-hour shiur, from 9:00 p.m. until midnight.

On Shemini Atzeres Rabbi Hauer would once again take to the amud to daven Mussaf, along with the special Tefillas Geshem, and again, his voice shook.

But the moment the aron kodesh opened and Simchas Torah began, the solemn energy morphed into elated joy. Rabbi Hauer always wore a special “Simchas Torah tallis,” visibly discolored by perspiration. Hand in hand, the kehillah danced, inspired by the energy, the love, the joy, and the fire of their rav.

And when the hakafah ended and the chant of Moshe emes v’Soraso emes began, they watched in anticipation as Rabbi Hauer, who stood well above six feet tall, would jump into the air to an impossible height, fervently proclaiming “Moshe emes v’Soraso emes — Moshe is true and his Torah is true!”

With tears, with joy, and with ironclad belief in the Torah’s eternal truth, Rabbi Hauer would leap upward.

Reaching for the heavens toward which he always aspired.