Nogah Hareuveni , Tree and Shrub in Our Biblical Heritage, hard, [1984], 44-45, According to Rabbi Akiva (Shabbat 99b) "the one who gathered kindling," whose name the Bible does not reveal, was none other than Tzlofkhad (Zelophehad) who "died in the wilderness...for his own sin" as attested to by his five daughters. (See Numbers 27:3) He is the same Tzlofkhad of whom is said: "The caper tree is hinted at in his name: tzalaf (caper) + khad (sharp) = the sharp caper)."
- - , Algemeen, , TOURING THE LAND: The Caper ("Tzalaf") in the Tzafit Stream
- by the Kefar Etzion Field School
In this week's Torah portion, Tzlofchad's daughters stand up to Moshe and the entire community, saying, "Our father died in the desert, and he was not part of the community who rebelled against G-d in the community of Korach, for he died because of his own sin. And he did not have any sons." [Bamidbar 27:2-3]. What was Tzlofchad's specific sin, if every man in the same generation was told that they would die in the desert? Rabbi Akiva felt that Tzlofchad was the one who chopped wood on Shabbat, while Rabbi Yehuda Ben Betaira claimed that he was one of the "ma'apilim" who tried to enter the land after the events of the scouts. (See Shabbat 96b.)
In his book "Devash Lefi," the CHIDA sees in Tzelafchad's name a hint of his personality. "Tzelafchad -- one caper ('tzalaf') is hinted at in his name." This implies that Tzelafchad stubbornly insisted on reaching the promised land, and that he bequeathed this stubborn trait to his daughters, who demanded an inheritance even though they were women. The CHIDA compares this stubborn trait to that of the caper, a plant which grows in the crevices of walls and cliffs. Rish Lakish said, "There are three who are especially daring: Yisrael among the nations, a dog among the animals, and a caper among the trees" [Beitza 25].
The caper has an outstanding ability to withstand dry conditions. Its sharp thorns protect it from animals, and they are used by the Bedouins to remove leeches from the throats of their animals. This is what gives the caper its name in Arabic, "olaik."
In the past, the fruits of the caper were used to prepare wine ("yain kafrissin"). In modern times, the pickled fruit is considered a delicacy. Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel told his students that in the end of days "there will be trees that give fruit every day." When a student replied with the fact that this contradicts the statement "there is nothing new under the sun," the rabbi took him outside and showed him a caper, which grows a new flower on every branch most of the year. (Shabbat 30b).