7 Mitzvot That Are Easy to Perform, Each with Great Reward

The evil inclination lurks at the doorstep of a person who desires to draw closer to Hashem. Parents get angry, friends laugh, the future is uncertain, and the commandments seem extremely difficult to fulfill. However, among the 613 mitzvot, there are some that can be fulfilled simply and easily, yet their reward is enormous. The magnitude of the reward promised for each of these mitzvot is immeasurable.

It is important to remember that every mitzvah is significant in its own right, and every avoidance of a transgression is extremely valuable. The evil inclination is very sophisticated and causes us to despair. We think that if we don't completely observe Shabbat, for example, it doesn't matter if we use an elevator, turn on a light, send text messages, and so on. But this is the way of the evil inclination. Similar to a driver who runs over someone, God forbid, and thinks to himself: "Since I've already hit someone, I might as well continue and hit others." It's important to know that each mitzvah stands on its own, as does each transgression. One blessing over food, buying a product with stringent kosher certification, putting on tefillin – each one is enormously valuable.

1. Using a Shabbat timer – Installing a Shabbat timer for lighting earns us the merit of Shabbat observance. Even if we haven't yet merited to properly observe Shabbat, we can install a timer for lighting and thereby avoid turning lights on and off many times throughout Shabbat.

2. Tefillin – The mitzvah of tefillin is tremendous, and one who puts them on testifies that he believes Hashem created the world. Putting on tefillin is also a segulah (spiritual remedy) for long life.

3. Tzitzit – This mitzvah is performed with great ease and requires no special effort: a special undershirt that costs 20 shekels, worn beneath one's clothes, is equivalent to all 613 commandments.

4. Morning hand washing – In the morning, we wash our hands alternately (right hand, then left hand, three times) to remove the impurity that was upon us during the night. In this way, a person becomes holy throughout all the hours of the day.

5. Shaving with a kosher razor – It's worthwhile to buy a kosher shaving machine and be careful not to press it too hard against the skin of the face. There are various laws regarding haircuts; after learning them, we become accustomed to them and merit a mitzvah at every moment.

6. Kashrut – Today, almost all foods are available with stringent kosher certifications- the prices are the same and supermarkets are accessible. Just pay attention to good kosher certification on the product, and voila: earn another mitzvah.

7. Love of Hashem – This mitzvah is performed in thought, and at every moment a person thinks about loving the Creator, he earns this mitzvah. One can fulfill this mitzvah with a brief thought of love due to the immense kindness He bestows upon us.