This concept of holy zealotry being passed down from one generation to the next is clearly seen in the following story (related in Sefer Meir Einei Yisroel):
The Chofetz Chaim zt”l once needed to plead to the government to annul a bitter decree against the yeshivos of his time, which had been enacted as a result of the mosdos haTorah being maligned and libeled by the maskilim.
Before leaving on his mission, the Chofetz Chaim asked a member of the Kornitzer family, a descendant of the Chasam Sofer zy”a, to come with him. This individual was confused. He didn’t understand why the Chofetz Chaim chose him to accompany him on this mission but he reasoned that perhaps he wanted him to act as his spokesman and to speak on his behalf. However, he soon saw that this was not the case.
When they had their audience with the ministers, the Chofetz Chaim spoke on his own and beseeched them to annul the decree. His heartfelt pleas were accepted and the decree was cancelled.
On the way home, he asked the Chofetz Chaim why he needed him to accompany him. The Chofetz Chaim answered, “Your ancestor, the Chasam Sofer, exerted himself greatly to zealously battle for Hashem’s honor against the maskilim who wanted to uproot Yiddishkeit. I wanted his descendant to come with me so that the zechus of the Chasam Sofer would be with me as I fought against the blasphemy of the maskilim.”
