The Holiness Within - The inspiring life and teachings of Rebbetzin Tema Kamenetsky - wife of Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky shlita

A woman became a ba’alas teshuvah after years of learning with the Rebbetzin. Years later, the ba’alas teshuvah’s daughter said to the Rebbetzin, “What did you think of my mother (before she took on the mitzvos) and the way she was dressed?” The Rebbetzin responded, “I didn’t even notice.” This is how the Rebbetzin saw people: she saw their neshamos, not their external garments.

The Holiness Within is a collection of stories from Rebbetzin Tema Kamenetsky’s family and students to illuminate who she was as a person and to share the lessons she imparted to her students over the years — teachings that are for the first time being released to the public.
She touched the lives of so many people with her profound lessons and the compassion she bestowed on everyone whom she met. Her passion and joy for learning Torah and doing Hashem’s mitzvos are felt in the stories that were so lovingly told over by those closest to her.

One of Rebbetzin Kamenetsky’s primary lessons was kedoshim tihyu, “You shall be holy” (Vayikra 19:2). She wanted her stu­dents and all of Klal Yisrael to truly know that as Bnei Yisrael, Hashem’s children, we are holy people. That foundation of recognizing our inner holiness can motivate us to be true to ourselves — kedoshim.

Read this fascinating and inspiring book to find out how!

By: Deedee Rudenstein