Taanit 25B

אין גזעו מחליף, אף צדיק חס ושלום אין גזעו מחליף ⁠— לכך נאמר ארז. אילו נאמר ארז ולא נאמר תמר, הייתי אומר: מה ארז אין עושה פירות אף צדיק חס ושלום אין עושה פירות ⁠— לכך נאמר תמר ונאמר ארז.

its shoots do not replenish themselves when its stump is cut down, so too, Heaven forbid, with regard to a righteous person, his shoots will not replenish themselves, i.e., he will be unable to recover from misfortune. Therefore, it is stated “cedar” in the verse. Just as the cedar grows new shoots after its stump is cut down, so too, a righteous individual will thrive again. Conversely, were it stated “cedar” and were it not stated “palm tree,” I would say that just as in the case of a cedar, it does not produce fruit, so too, a righteous man, God forbid, does not produce fruit, i.e., he will have no reward in the World-to-Come. Therefore, it is stated “palm tree” and it is also stated “cedar.”

וארז גזעו מחליף? והתניא: הלוקח אילן מחבירו לקוץ, מגביהו מן הקרקע טפח וקוצץ. בסדן השקמה ⁠— שני טפחים. בבתולת השקמה ⁠— שלשה טפחים. בקנים ובגפנים ⁠— מן הפקק ולמעלה. בדקלים ובארזים ⁠— חופר למטה ומשריש, לפי שאין גזעו מחליף.

§ The Talmud asks: And do a cedar’s shoots really replenish themselves? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: With regard to one who bought a tree from another to chop it down for wood, without acquiring total ownership of the tree, he must lift his ax a handbreadth and chop there, so as to allow the tree to grow back? However, in a case where he purchased a large sycamore, he must leave two handbreadths. In the case of an untrimmed sycamore, he must leave 3 handbreadths. In a situation where one bought reeds or grapevines, he may chop only from the first knot and above. In the case of palms or cedars, one may dig down and uproot it, as its shoots will not replenish themselves. This baraita indicates that cedars will not grow new shoots after they have been cut down.