Man of G-d: Remembering Rabbi Moshe Hauer
Just a few short months ago, at the OU’s Professional Leadership Retreat in September 2025, Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt”l, shared something that Rabbi Berel Wein, zt”l, often recounted about the legendary Rabbi Alexander Rosenberg, zt”l,—Rebbetzin Mindi Hauer’s grandfather—who preceded Rabbi Wein as the rabbinic administrator of OU Kosher from 1950 to 1972.
A wide array of people would approach Rabbi Rosenberg with a range of ideas and plans. True to the extraordinary integrity he was known to exemplify, he would listen carefully until they finished, pause, look at them and ask, “Un vos zogt G-tt?—And what does G-d say?”
His daughter (Rabbi Hauer’s mother-in-law) related that this was her father’s guiding principle—his mantra: “What would G-d say?”
Today we often soften that question, noted Rabbi Hauer. Instead we ask, “What does the Torah say?” But the Gemara uses the terminology, “Rachmana amar—the Merciful One said.” We are meant to hear G-d’s voice, to live with an awareness of Hashem Yitbarach, and to help raise that awareness in the world. We are defined as a nation of believers—people who believe in G-d and take pride in our belief.
This question encapsulated Rabbi Hauer’s essence. In his erev Shabbat Shuvah message (Sept. 26, 2025), he wrote: “Let’s speak about G-d. Not just now. Let’s consistently speak much more about G-d. Not just about religious behavior and belonging, but about belief, the alef and bet of religious life—emunah and bitachon.”
In my previous Jewish Action articles, we’ve discussed the three B’s of religious engagement: belief, behavior, and belonging. (Actually, there’s a fourth—becoming—which perhaps we will discuss in the future.) My focus had been on the last of these, belonging. But privately, Rabbi Hauer and I often bemoaned our community’s lack of connection to Hashem—a concern that increasingly became the focus of his public message in his final days.
Framing Our Perspective: Ahavat Yisrael Through Hashem’s Eyes
In one of our earliest moments of sharing Torah, during a troubling and difficult time for the world as the pandemic took hold, Rabbi Hauer shared a thought that has shaped my perspective time and time again:
“Mi ha’ish he’chafetz chayim, ohev yamim lirot tov? Netzor leshoncha mei’ra, usefatecha midaber mirmah—Who is the man who desires life, who loves days to see good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit” (Tehillim 34:13–14).
When encountering this quote, we usually focus on the message of not speaking lashon hara. But Rabbi Hauer saw more than that. He would often say: “Don’t speak badly about Jews! Don’t even think badly about them!” I asked him, “How?” And he answered, “Stop skipping over the middle phrase: “ohev yamim lirot tov—who loves days to see good.”
That is what he would do: he would put on his G-dly lenses, his ahavah-colored lenses, and see people and situations with love. Through that love, he saw the good.
With this devar Torah, he not only shaped our perspective in a time of distress but also offered a way of life—a Torat Chaim—to guide all of our days.
Believing in Everyone: The Lesson of Noach
Rabbi Hauer used this mindset and framework to believe in everyone’s potential, even those whom others didn’t believe in—or those who didn’t believe in themselves. He believed in the power of the Jewish people. He believed in his family. He believed in the OU. He believed in us. He believed in me. Ultimately he believed in shalom, in people getting along.
Rabbi Hauer used this mindset and framework to believe in everyone’s potential, even those whom others didn’t believe in—or those who didn’t believe in themselves.
Our tradition offers us a beautiful story to illustrate the idea of believing in each other. The Torah states that Noach went into the ark “mipnei mei hamabul—due to the waters of the Flood” (Bereishit 7:7). Rashi comments: “Af Noach miketanei amanah hayah, ma’amin ve’eino ma’amin sheyavo hamabul—Noach, too, was one of those of little faith; he believed but didn’t believe [fully] that the Flood would actually come.” That is why Noach did not enter the Ark until he saw with his own eyes that the waters had started to fall.
But how could Noach, the greatest tzaddik of his generation, have even the smallest doubt that the word of G-d would be fulfilled? Didn’t he spend 120 years listening to Hashem?
Rabbi Yitzchak of Vorki presents a remarkable reimagination of Rashi’s approach. He suggests we punctuate Rashi’s comment differently: “Af Noach miketanei amanah hayah ma’amin, ve’eino ma’amin sheyavo hamabul—Even Noach believed in those of little faith, and therefore he did not believe the Flood would come.” He trusted that they would repent and return to Hashem, and Hashem would halt the destruction of humankind. In other words, Noach believed in all of humanity, in the potential of each and every person.
Interpreting for the Good: Noach’s Legacy
It’s important to point out another aspect of the story of Noach, as the goodness of Noach himself is often debated. “Eileh toledot Noach; Noach ish tzaddik tamim hayah b’dorotav—These are the descendants of Noach; Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generation” (Bereishit 6:9). Rashi notes that some of our rabbis interpret “in his generation” as praise—all the more so would Noach have been righteous had he lived among the righteous. Others interpret it as criticism—only relative to his generation was he righteous; had Noach lived in Avraham’s generation, he would not have been considered upright.
Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh teaches: Anyone who doesn’t interpret Noach favorably isn’t from our sages! Because “talmidei chachamim marbim shalom ba’olam—Torah scholars increase peace in the world.”
It’s time we put on Rabbi Hauer’s Hashem-colored lenses, his ahavah-colored lenses, and see the world as he did.
A Man of G-d
I truly think of Rabbi Hauer as a man of G-d. As we know, he traveled frequently—in taxis, Ubers and other vehicles. Shortly before he passed away, he shared with us that although he always said thank you to these drivers, more recently he started to say “G-d bless you.” The reactions he would get were priceless, with the drivers genuinely appreciating his invoking G-d’s blessings.
This is just one example of how, wherever he went, people saw him as a man of G-d—reflected in his middot and his humility: “veha’ish Moshe anav me’od mikol ha’adam.” In everything he did, whenever he spoke and with whomever he spoke, he had in his mind the gemara in Yoma 86: “Ve’ahavta et Hashem Elokecha: she’yehei Shem Shamayim mitahev al yadcha—And you shall love Hashem your G-d: that the name of Heaven should become beloved through you.” For so many—those who knew Rabbi Hauer well and those who met him just once—Hashem became beloved through him.
Developing a “Hashem-First” Mindset
I often find that my first reaction—especially in interactions with others—is to think about people:
• “What will they think?”
• “How will they take this?”
• “Why is he being nice?”
• “Why is she speaking hurtfully?”
In all of those situations, I could instead think first about Hashem:
• “What will Hashem think?”
• “How will Hashem take this?”
• “Why is Hashem giving me a nice word through this person?”
• “What message is Hashem sending me through this person?”
Part of developing a “Hashem-first” mindset requires us to look for the love of Klal Yisrael through Hashem’s eyes. This is how Rabbi Hauer lived each day.
The Path Forward
Rabbi Hauer’s legacy calls us to cultivate a “Hashem-first” mindset in all of our interactions. This means putting on our ahavah-colored glasses to see the good in others; believing in everyone’s potential, even when others do not; increasing peace in the world through our actions; and making the name of Heaven beloved through our conduct.
May his memory be a blessing, and may we continue to ask ourselves: “Un vos zogt G-tt?—And what does G-d say?”
Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph is executive vice president/chief operating officer of the Orthodox Union.
In This Section
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt”l: The Loss of a Leader
Man of G-d: Remembering Rabbi Moshe Hauer by Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph
A Guiding Light for Klal Yisrael by Chief Rabbi Kalman Meir Ber
“His Life Was a Continuous Ascent” by Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
To Illuminate Rather Than Condemn: The Legacy of Rabbi Moshe Hauer by Moishe Bane
Captions:
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt”l, with OU Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph