What is the order of mitzvot importance?

Question

In the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, some hierarchy is established for tzitzis:

The Torah equates this commandment, and also connects it, to all of the commandments of the Torah combined. (Siman 9:1)

And

The commandment to don tefillin is also, in addition to the mitzvah of tzitzis, a very precious mitzvah. For the fulfillment of the entire Torah is equated with the mitzvah of tefillin. (Siman 10:1)

Additionally, in the siddur Tehillat Hashem page 9:

These are the precepts, the fruit of which man enjoys in this world, while the principal [reward] remains in the World to Come: honoring one's father and mother, performing deeds of kindness, early attendance at the House of Study morning and evening, hospitality to strangers, visiting the sick, dowering the bride, escorting the dead, concentration in prayer - and the study for Torah is equivalent to them all.

How can we reconcile these verses? Is it not clearly established that tzitzis, tefillin, and Torah study are more important, since they are equal to all the others combined?

Answer 1

As mentioned, there is a different value to each mitzvah, we just don't know what it is. Note also that the “value” of a mitzvah is not necessarily fixed. It can vary. The Mishnah says:

בֶּן הֵא הֵא אוֹמֵר, לְפוּם צַעֲרָא אַגְרָא -- Ben He He says: According to the effort is the reward. [Pirkei Avot 5:23]

It implies that mitzvot that require more effort count for more. The Talmud adds:

One mitzvah involving pain is worth a hundred mitzvot that do not. [Avot de Rabbi Natan 3:6, Jerusalem Talmud]

Fo example, contemporary Rabbi Dessler notes that someone born into an observant family will receive relatively little reward for observance, because it took little effort. Keeping commandments is automatic for him. Conversely, someone born in a non-religious family will receive much reward for being observant, and little, if any, punishment for not spending many hours a day studying Torah. [Rabbi E.E. Dessler, Michtav M'Eliyahu, Hebrew edition, book 1, page 113]

So the bottom line is: All the quotes from Chazal that imply that some commandments are more important than others are simply personal opinions. All agree that Jews are responsible for ALL commandments, and all agree that we don't know from the Torah the value of each commandment, so there can be no halacha about the value of commandments.