Jephthah in his generation is like Samuel in his generation/ "the authority of a Jephthah in his days must be respected as that of Samuel in his"/ we must accept the authority of office, be its holder great or little
The status and importance of the biblical judge Jephthah the Gileadite, and his leadership of the people of his generation, are considered equal in significance to the leadership of the prophet Samuel, who was regarded as a great prophet who led the people. Figuratively: every generation has its own leader, and the importance of the people’s leadership does not change. It is the leadership of the people that grants the leader authority and prestige.
("Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call on His name" (Psalms 99) — the verse weighed three lesser men against three great men, to teach you: Jerubbaal in his generation is like Moses in his generation; Bedan in his generation is like Aaron in his generation; Jephthah in his generation is like Samuel in his generation. This teaches you that even the least of the least, when appointed a leader over the community, is as mighty as the mightiest of the mighty" — Rosh Hashanah 25b)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
יִפְתַּח בְּדוֹרוֹ כִּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּדוֹרוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
דַּרְגָּתוֹ וַחֲשִׁיבוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַשּׁוֹפֵט הַמִּקְרָאִי יִפְתַּח הַגִּלְעָדִי וּמֵהַנְהִיגוּתוֹ אֶת בְּנֵי דּוֹרוֹ שָׁוָה בַּחֲשִׁיבוּתָהּ לְמַנְהִיגוּת הַנָּבִיא שְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁנֶּחֱשַׁב לְנָבִיא גָּדוֹל שֶׁהִנְהִיג אֶת הָעָם. בְּהַשְׁאָלָה: בְּכָל דּוֹר יֵשׁ אֶת הַמַּנְהִיג שֶׁלּוֹ, וַחֲשִׁיבוּת מוֹסַד הַהַנְהָגָה שֶׁל הָעָם לֹא מִשְׁתַּנָּה. הַנְהָגַת הָעָם הִיא שֶׁמַּקְנָה לַמַּנְהִיג אֶת הַסַּמְכוּת וְהַיֻּקְרָה.
("מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ (תְּהִלִּים צט)- שָׁקַל הַכָּתוּב שְׁלֹשָׁה קַלֵּי עוֹלָם כִּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲמוּרֵי עוֹלָם, לוֹמַר לְךָ: יְרֻבַּעַל בְּדוֹרוֹ- כְּמֹשֶׁה בְּדוֹרוֹ, בְּדָן בְּדוֹרוֹ- כְּאַהֲרֹן בְּדוֹרוֹ, יִפְתָּח בְּדוֹרוֹ - כִּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּדוֹרוֹ. לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ קַל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּין וְנִתְמַנָּה פַּרְנָס עַל הַצִּבּוּר- הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאַבִּיר שֶׁבָּאַבִּירִים"-רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כֹּה ע"ב)