“Be as meticulous in the performance of a ‘minor’ mitzvah as in the performance of a ‘major’ mitzvah, for you do not know the reward for the mitzvos.
The Medrash Tanchuma tells us that there are 248 mitzvos aseh (positive commandments) representative of the 248 limbs in man’s body. Each limb cries out: Do a mitzvah and earn zechusim so that you will have a long life.
There are 365 mitzvos lo sa’aseh (negative commandments) that are symbolic of the 365 days in the solar year. Every day, from sunrise until sunset, a call decrees, “Do not do an aveiroh. Do not make the entire world culpable.”
The Baal Shem Tov comments on the use of the word “zahir – be meticulous,” which has the same shoresh as “yazhiru – they will shine (Daniel 12:3). One should excel in his performance of a “minor” mitzvah as he would exert himself to excel in the performance of a “major”
