R' Ben-Tzion Kuk Shlita was a Yasom, and R' Zevulun Graz Zatzal became his mentor. He noticed how R' Zevulun Zatzal was always doing everything with tremendous Simcha, and he asked him why. He answered that when he was a bachur learning in Chevron, the Alter of Slabodka came over to him after first Seder, and he called him a Tzadik and a Rasha. When he asked him why, he said that the Alter called him a Tzadik because he noticed how he learned with such Geshmak during Seder, and also with Chidushei Torah. He’s a Rasha though, because he looks like he didn’t do anything special.
R' Zevulun Zatzal was: תְ מִבּוֹ ן נֵ (contemplated) for several days, and decided that for the rest of his life, whenever he did something good, he would appreciate what he did. R' Ahron Karliner Zatzal said that if a Bachur walks in the street, and arrives home without looking at a: ר סוּר אָ בָ דָ (something one is not allowed to look at), he should dance for a half hour! And the reason why Bachurim don’t become Gedolim is because they don’t do this!
Look how Simcha Shel Mitzva is #1 by Chasidim and by Litvaks, and how not having it, it can cause you to be a Rasha, or a Rachmanus who don’t become a Gadol because he didn’t tap into this. Perhaps this is one reason why Dovid HaMelech was so unique. He would learn Torah for the first half of the night, and then he would sing during the other half (Gemara) in thankfulness for the Torah he learned during the first half. (R' Zundel of Salant Zatzal). Doeg, Achitofel, Yoav, Avner, Shim'i ben Gera, Y'ravam ben Nevat, and none of his contemporaries became like him (and many lost their Olam HaBah) because they didn’t appreciate their own Avodas Hashem the way he did.
For us, I would recommend 10 minutes a day to write down all the special Torah and Mitzvos you did that day.
