(א) הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כָּל עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע לא הרשה לאדם ולאשתו להמית בריה ולאכול בשר, אך כל ירק עשב יאכלו יחדיו כלם...
(1) "Behold, I have given to you all of the herbs that gives seed:" "He did not permit Adam and his wife to kill a creature and to eat its meat; only every green herb were they all permitted to eat together....
[...]וידוע כי הפרי הבא עד שלש שנים אין בו תועלת ומזיק כאשר יזיק לגוף כל דג שאין לו סנפיר וקשקשת ויזיק לנפש החכמה בשר כל עוף דורס והבהמות הטמאות והמשכיל יבין:
[...]It is well known that fruit which grows on trees less than three years old is harmful and contains no nutrition (just as fish that do not have fins and scales are harmful, and meat from birds of prey and from the non-kosher beasts is detrimental to the intelligence — verbum sat sapienti ).
There are four New Years: The first of Nissan is the New Year for kings and for festivals.
The first of Elul is the New Year for the tithing of beasts. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say: The first of Tishrei.
The first of Tishrei is the New Year for years, for shemitah, for the Jubilee year, for planting, and for greens.
The first of Shevat is the New Year for trees according to Beth Shammai. Beth Hillel say: the fifteenth of the month.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said, and some determined that it was stated in the name of Rabbi Yannai: The verse states: “Three years shall it be as prohibited to you; it shall not be eaten. And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be sacred for praise-giving to the Lord. And in the fifth year shall you eat of its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase; I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:23–25).
One day, he (Honi) was walking along the road when he saw a certain man planting a carob tree. Ḥoni said to him: This tree, after how many years will it bear fruit? The man said to him: It will not produce fruit until seventy years have passed. Ḥoni said to him: Is it obvious to you that you will live seventy years, that you expect to benefit from this tree? He said to him: That man (i.e. himself) found a world full of carob trees. Just as my ancestors planted for me, I too am planting for my descendants.
...Rabbi Shimon says: He who is walking on the way and repeating his studies, and interrupts his studies and says, "How lovely is this tree! And how lovely is this newly plowed field!" - Scripture considers him as if he is liable for [forfeiture of] his life.
Joyce Meyer*
Consider a tree for a moment. As beautiful as trees are to look at, we don't see what goes on underground - as they grow roots. Trees must develop deep roots in order to grow strong and produce their beauty. But we don't see the roots. We just see and enjoy the beauty. In much the same way, what goes on inside of us is like the roots of a tree.
* Not a Jewish source, just a nice quote!