The concept of reward and punishment is commonly perceived as a carrot-and-stick approach.
Reward and punishment are the mitzvot and sins themselves.
Mitzvot and sins are not callous, indifferent actions that by divine decree result in a distinct reward or punishment.
The action itself intrinsically forms the structure that is its reward or punishment.
The reward and punishment are part and parcel of the action and should be treated as an extension of the deed itself, not as an external component.
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz