Do Righteous People Suffer More? Rethinking Repentance, Prayer, and Divine Justice

There’s something that has been occupying my thoughts lately. People say the following:

A. In the place where baalei teshuvah (those who return to G-d) stand, even the perfectly righteous cannot stand.

B. With the righteous, G-d is exacting—down to a hair’s breadth.

C. Sometimes, when G-d wants to awaken someone to prayer or repentance, He brings hardship upon them.

D. Everything G-d does, He does for the good.

E. G-d desires the prayers of the righteous.

Based on all this, I’m left wondering: Why would I want to strive to become a tzaddik (a righteous person)? It seems like they suffer more, and in the end, even they don’t reach the spiritual level of a baal teshuvah! I hope I explained myself clearly. I know this can’t be the full picture, but I can’t seem to explain to myself where the mistake in my thinking lies.

Another question that troubles me is why does G-d “desire” prayer, and why does He bring it about through suffering?

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Hello and thank you for your honest and thoughtful questions.

Let’s begin with this important point: Even tzaddikim (righteous people) do teshuvah. As it says, “There is no righteous person on earth who does only good and never sins.” We are all doing teshuvah, even the greatest of the righteous who are constantly growing, refining themselves, and reaching higher spiritual levels.

It’s true that the righteous sometimes endure greater hardships, but they are also rewarded with a far greater portion in the World to Come. Think of Moses and King David, who both came incredibly close to the Divine Presence itself, because of their tremendous righteousness and dedication.

Baalei teshuvah (those who return to G-d) are indeed granted a very special merit, but that doesn’t mean they automatically surpass people like Moses or Aaron. The saying “In the place where baalei teshuvah stand…” is intended to express the value and beauty of overcoming sin and that someone who stumbles and rises again earns a unique reward in the next world. Similarly, someone who absorbs insults without retaliating is promised a special spiritual treasure.

However, a person’s ultimate spiritual level is determined by their Torah study, mitzvah observance, and personal development. In that sense, great Torah scholars and tzaddikim—whether or not they began their lives religious—attain the highest spiritual levels. This includes baalei teshuvah who became Torah scholars, like Rabbi Akiva, one of the most famous and respected sages in Jewish history.

Baalei teshuvah choose to become tzaddikim, and tzaddikim continue to do teshuvah throughout their lives. Ultimately, the goal is to become a righteous person who draws close to G-d and earns eternal reward.

Regarding prayer, the purpose is to remove spiritual blockages that prevent Divine blessing from reaching us. G-d wants to give us revealed good, and prayer opens the gates to allow that good to flow.

You mentioned the Talmudic idea that someone who says, “I’ll sin now and repent later”, will not be granted the opportunity to repent. This is because true teshuvah must come from a sincere heart. G-d sees our innermost thoughts and we can’t manipulate the system because He knows if our repentance is real.

As for the phrase “G-d desires the prayers of the righteous”, this is metaphorical. Obviously, G-d doesn’t have “desires” in the human sense. The idea is that through prayer, G-d’s ultimate goal to bestow goodness, can be fulfilled. When a righteous person prays, they open the channels for that Divine kindness, and this is the deeper meaning behind this “desire” for their prayers.