Before the Soul Comes into the World

"At the moment when souls are ready to descend into this world, Hashem calls upon an appointed angel who is entrusted with all the souls destined for this world. He instructs this angel to bring a specific soul. The soul is brought, clothed in the form it will take in this world, and is shown before the holy King. There, Hashem tells the soul its purpose in this life and makes it swear to uphold its mission: to engage in Torah to know Hashem's uniqueness, to understand the secret of faith... Because anyone in this world who does not strive to know His uniqueness, it would be better for them not to have been created."

(Zohar, Terumah 161, Metok Midevash p. 565-566)

The Soul Hovers Over the Fetus, Learning All the Torah

When the time comes for the soul to descend to this world—both for its own need and for the rectification of the world—it makes its dwelling in the lower Garden of Eden for thirty days. This descent helps the soul understand what awaits it when it returns. The reason it stays for thirty days is that it takes this time for the soul to settle in and behold the Shechina that rests upon the righteous. Afterwards, it ascends again to the higher Garden of Eden to take an oath before its descent. After all warnings and directives, it descends to this world to be clothed in a physical body by Hashem's will. At the moment it descends, the holy King crowns it with seven crowns to ensure it continues its correction until it enters the human body... When the time comes for a person to leave this world, their image withdraws from them.

A person has two images when they are in health and strength: one large and one small. As it is written "the shadows" in the plural, referring to two images, the larger from the foundation and the smaller from the kingdom. When these images are together in a person, they are in health and strength... For [according to Zohar Parshat Vayechi page 237] thirty days before a person’s death, these shadows withdraw.

When these shadows withdraw, a person feels bound in chains, symbolizing lying on the bed of illness as if captured. Even repentance at that hour is accepted, but it is not as significant as repentance when one is in good health. King Solomon advised to "remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the bad days come"—and our sages (in Tractate Shabbat 151b) explained that the bad days are those of old age.

(Zohar, Vayikra 13, Metok Midevash p. 144-146)

The Final Steps of the Soul Before Entering the Physical World

The spirit does not descend into this world until it rises from the Garden of Eden to the throne, which stands on [four] pillars [in the world of creation]. [Then] it descends to the lower Garden of Eden, the second barrier between the world of formation and [the world] of action, where spirits descending from the upper Garden of Eden reside. There, the spirit lingers by Hashem's will until it thickens slightly to endure the body. Before entering this world, it returns again to its place on the throne [to draw light] and is clothed in the four spiritual elements of the throne so it can fit the four earthly elements of the body, and then descends into this world because the body takes from the four winds of the world, which are the four elements: fire, wind, water, and earth.

(Zohar, Shemot 13, Metok Midevash p. 127)

Before You Emerged From the Womb, I Sanctified You

[Rabbi Moshe Cordovero wrote:] Regarding what is stated that the Shechina placed within Moses’ soul the power of judgments to strike Pharaoh and his land, the significance is that whatever a person is meant to accomplish in serving the Creator in this world... this power is given within their soul before coming to the world, and it is within their choice [capacity] to nullify that power, and if they do, their punishment is severe... but if they bring that power to fruition, their reward is great.

(Zohar, Beshalach 54, Metok Midevash p. 596)

Hashem Shapes the Human Form in the Womb to Resemble Father and Mother

"And who is a rock besides our Elohim" (Berakhot 10) - there isn't an artist like Hashem who is a perfect artist, forming and completing the form within a form with all its corrections. He wishes to say that He forms the fetus in the mother's womb, perfecting it with all the corrections of its organs, and instills in it a higher soul resembling the upper correction... Because Hashem forms in that figure a mixture of both [parents]. Therefore one must sanctify themselves during intimacy and not think of another woman, so the form will be perfectly shaped as it should.

(Zohar Lech Lecha, Metok Midevash p. 360-361)

In Zohar Parshat Lech Lecha page 92b - it is stated that Hashem shapes the human form in the mother's womb, completing all its organs. He instills in it the higher soul, a living soul, and the spirit that grants the power of speech. The miracle is that the holy one shapes a single form that resembles two other forms. Meaning, the son will resemble both father and mother. Since the creation of the world, Hashem shaped the forms and images of all human souls destined to come into this world, and they all stand before Him in the very form and image they will appear when they descend into this world.

Moreover, for the souls of the righteous after they leave this world, Hashem prepares a garment made from the air of paradise in the same appearance they had in this world.

The Fetus Learns the Entire Torah with Its Soul Hovering Above

Regarding the verse "Oh that I were as in months gone by," Rabbi Simlai explained, what is the fetus compared to in the womb? It is folded and placed like a booklet, with its hands on its temples, elbows on its knees, heels on its buttocks, head resting between its knees, mouth closed, and belly open, eating what its mother eats and drinking what its mother drinks, not expelling waste lest it harm the mother.

Once the child comes into the world, what is closed opens, and what is open closes, for otherwise, it cannot survive even an hour. A candle is lit on its head, allowing it to see from one end of the world to the other, as it is said, "His candle shined on my head," and don't be astonished; after all, a person can dream while asleep and see things in Spain. No days are better for a person than those, as it is said, "Oh that I were as in months gone by," etc., and which days have months but not years? These are the months of gestation.

And it learns the entire Torah, as it is said: "He taught me and said to me, 'Let your heart sustain my words, keep my commandments and live,' and I said, 'the secret of God is upon my tent.'"

When the soul emerges into the world, an angel strikes it on the mouth, causing it to forget the entire Torah, as it is said: "Sin crouches at the door," and it does not leave there until they make it take an oath, as it is said: "For every knee shall bow to me, every tongue shall swear," "for every knee shall bow" - this is the day of death, as it is said: "before Him shall bow all who go to dust," "every tongue shall swear" - this is the day of birth, as it is said: "who did not uplift his soul to vanity nor swore deceitfully."

And what oath do they impose upon it? They say to it: "Be righteous and not wicked, even if the whole world says you are righteous, regard yourself as wicked, and know that Hashem is pure, His servants are pure, and the soul given to you is pure. If you keep it pure, all will be well, and if not, He will take it from you"...
(Yalkut Shimoni Job 246)