What were the norms of inheritance in Jewish culture? When and why would there be exceptions?

I was reading a question on the hermeneutical site about Jacob taking Esau’s blessing and there was a question raised in the comments of **“Was Esau’s inheritance even something to be negotiated?”** Which I thought was an excellent question but which might be better answered here. So what were the norms of inheritance in Jewish culture and for what reasons might exceptions be made?