A generation according to its leader, a leader according to his generation
Every generation is influenced by its leader, and every leader is influenced by the generation in which he lives. The level of the people in a generation is determined by the level of leadership, and the level of leadership is determined by the level of the people of that generation.
("This is the generation and its seekers (Psalms 24) - One said: A generation is according to its leader, and another said: The leader is according to his generation" - Arachin 17a)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
דּוֹר לְפִי פַּרְנָס פַּרְנָס לְפִי דּוֹרוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
כָּל דּוֹר מֻשְׁפָּע מֵהַמַּנְהִיג שֶׁלּוֹ, וְכָל מַנְהִיג מֻשְׁפָּע מֵהַדּוֹר שֶׁבּוֹ הוּא חַי. רָמַת הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר נִקְבַּעַת עַל פִּי רָמַת הַמַּנְהִיגוּת, וְרָמַת הַמַּנְהִיגוּת נִקְבַּעַת עַל פִּי רָמַת אַנְשֵׁי אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר.
("זֶה דּוֹר וְדוֹרְשָׁיו (תְּהִלִּים כַּד)- חַד אָמַר דּוֹר לְפִי פַּרְנָס, וְחַד אָמַר פַּרְנָס לְפִי דוֹרוֹ"- עֲרָכִין יז ע"א)