Freewill and Spiritual Growth

הוֹאִיל וּרְשׁוּת כָּל אָדָם נְתוּנָה לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ יִשְׁתַּדֵּל אָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וּלְהִתְוַדּוֹת בְּפִיו מֵחֲטָאָיו וְלִנְעֹר כַּפָּיו מֵחֲטָאָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּמוּת וְהוּא בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה וְיִזְכֶּה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:

Since free choice is granted to all men as explained, a person should always strive to do Teshuvah (repentance) and to confess verbally [to Hashem] for his sins, striving to cleanse his hands from sin in order that he may die as a Baal Teshuvah (Master of Repentance) and merit the life of the world to come.

-Rambam Hilchot Teshuvah 7:4, citing Talmud Berakhot, 34b.

As a community, what kind of Jews should we value? Some people seem to value those that write a bigger donation, and some will value those who are more balanced and Observant. But what makes someone a better person? What does this mean in a world where Hashem gave us freewill?

If a woman made the voluntary decision to keep the Mitzvot for Jewish women, she has elevated herself to a higher level of spirituality than a woman who was born into the community who live by the Mitzvot. And she may even ascend above the level of the aforementioned community with its set standards (box) of what they consider normal for a Jew to do.

The Baalet Teshuvah is utilizing her level of freewill becoming an Observant Jew. It’s difficult for such a person to have to change the essence of who they are. Thus, they are going beyond their current state of existence.

It’s not as difficult for the person who has always been keeping Mitzvot. If it takes a Frum-From-Birth woman less effort to be Shomeret Mitzvot, then she is not utilizing her freewill by [merely] being Shomeret Mitzvot because she is already accustomed to this. This is why there are those that say that Baalet Teshuvah is on a higher level of righteousness than a woman who was born into a very Observant Jewish family. When she elevates her existence, she is exercising her freewill. Thus, she is elevating her consciousness.