Summary: Jacob, the younger twin brother of Esau, was born holding onto Esau’s heel, symbolizing his lifelong struggle for dominance and feeling of inadequacy inherited from his father, Isaac. While Isaac’s trauma led to passivity, Jacob’s response was to become crafty and deceptive in his attempts to seize opportunities. Ultimately, despite his flaws, Jacob grew to overcome his weaknesses and became Israel, the father of the twelve tribes.
a traumatized parent may exhibit behaviors—anxiety, nervousness, periods of withdrawal, neediness, deep depression, night terrors, and so on—that over a period of time induce similar tendencies in their children, a phenomenon often called “emotional contagion.” (View Highlight)