Moses, David and Elijah were all willing to exact punishment for the sake of the public good and the repentance the punishments inspired. As a result, the belief in the Torah of Moses, the kingship of David and the realization of the Oneness of G-d at the time of Elijah were all strengthened. I n concluding the first manifestation of folly, we can see that it too follows the three stages of Divine service as taught by the Ba'al Shem Tov . The stage of submission is the effect punishment has on the leader. The impression on his soul remains long after the momentary submission experienced by the recipient of the punishment.
Separation occurs as the person being punished is now able to differentiate between good and evil.
Sweetening is achieved through sincere repentance, the purpose intended by the leader when he initially decided to apply punishment. Although this level of folly contains all three stages, it is most associated with submission, as manifest in the subjugation of the evil inclination, the lowering of ego and the leader's subjugating his own tendencies for the benefit of others. In recognizing this truth, the leader fights folly with folly, by submitting his own nature to work against itself for the good of others. In this sense, one leads others by subjugating one's own interests for the good of the whole, the paradigm of submission in the soul. The essence of leadership is thus revealed in one who learns how to submit himself in order to serve both G-d and man.