Why are Jews so enamored of the idea of "free choice" [בחירה חפשית]?
Because it's free...
What does it mean when we ask Hashem every day ואל תשלט בנו יצר הרע - our yetzer hara shouldn't rule over us? We all have free choice so why is this a concern for which we must daven??
We see that at times free choice is denied to various people either because of their sins [as the Rambam explains about the hardening of Paroh's heart] or in order to teach others the power of teshuva [as we find regarding the sin of Dovid Hamelech - see Avoda Zara 4]. We therefore ask Hashem not to take away our free choice which would enable our yetzer hara to have free reign.
[עפ"י סידור עולת ראי"ה]
