It states in the Mishnah,¹⁹⁸ “Rebbi said: which is the straight path that a person should choose for himself? That which is honorable to himself and brings him honor from others. Be careful with a light mitzvah as with a major one, for you do not know the reward of the mitzvot.” The explanation is as follows: “Which is the straight path that a person should choose-שיבור” may be interpreted as, “Which is the straight path that a person should avoid,” for the term SheYavor-שיבור also means, “empty,” as in the verse,¹⁹⁹ “And the pit-בורwas empty,” which is to be avoided. It then continues and answers, “That which honorable to himself.” That is, he does the mitzvah in a hidden manner so that others should not know about it, but in his heart, he thinks to himself that he is an exemplary servant of HaShem, and is proud of it. This is certainly so regarding a person who does mitzvot openly, “to bring honor from others.” This refers to a person who fulfills the mitzvot openly to receive honor from others, that is, so that others should consider him to be God fearing. Both these characteristics must be avoided.

footnotes: ¹⁹⁸ Mishnah Avot 2:1 ¹⁹⁹ Genesis 37:24

If you follow this advice, you will, “be as careful with a light commandment as with a major one.” For, “You do not know the reward of the mitzvot,” meaning that you will not take the reward of the mitzvot into consideration, but do them solely to give satisfaction to your Creator, HaShem, blessed is He. However, if you are looking for honor, you will examine whether it is a light mitzvahor not and you will do a major one, because you think it will give you more honor.