Talking trees in Torah

Question

I am working on a drash and the idea of talking inanimate objects came up. I remembered hearing about this concept based in "Torah" that when Moshiach comes the trees and rocks will scold people for their evil acts using or near the objects, or even speech near the objects.

What is the source and background for talking trees in Torah (including Tanach, Oral Torah and Kabbalah), specifically regarding such an event occurring in the time of Moshiach?

Isn't there an opinion that when Moshiach comes, the inanimate objects of the world will tell their experiences of how they were used for good or bad?

Answer 1

The Midrash Rabbah Bereishis 13:2, on the Pasuk וכל שיח השדה, brings the following Drush:

וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה, כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ מְשִׂיחִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ. כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ מְשִׂיחִין עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת. כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת לַהֲנָאָתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת נִבְרְאוּ. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁבָּצַר אֶת כַּרְמוֹ וְלָן בְּתוֹכוֹ וּבָאת הָרוּחַ וּפְגָעַתּוּ. כָּל שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא עַל הָאָרֶץ, עָבְדַּת אַרְעָא, לָא עָבְדַּת. וְכָל תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא עַל הָאָרֶץ, מָרֵי תַּעֲבֵד אַרְעָא, מָרֵי תַּצְלִיחַ אַרְעָא. כָּל תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עַל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מָרֵי יִתְבְּנֵי בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא, מָרֵי מָתַי יִתְבְּנֵי בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא.

All the trees are, as it were, conversing these with those, and with the creatures. All the trees were created for the pleasure of creatures... And all the conversations of the creatures are about nothing except the land: "is the land working, is it not working". And all the prayers of the creatures are about nothing except the land: “God, help the earth, God save the earth”... And all the prayers of Yisrael are about nothing but the Beis HaMikdash “Master, build the Beis HaMikdash. Master, when will You build the Beis HaMikdash”...

Another related Midrash to the concept of animated shrubbery is the following piece from Pirkei D'Rabi Eliezer, Ch. 34:

ששה קולן יוצא מסוף העולם ועד סופו ואין הקול נשמע בשעה שכורתין את האילן שהוא עושה פרי הקול יוצא מסוף העולם ועד סופו ואין הקול נשמע Six voices emanate across the universe, yet are not heard. At the time when a fruit bearing tree is cut down, the voice goes out across the universe, yet the voice is not heard...