Midras Ayub 29:3: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Vayikra Rabbah

(Lev. 12:2:) “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.” This text is related (to Job 29:2), “O that I were as in the months of old, [as in the days when God watched over me]!” In regard to this verse, Job spoke it when the afflictions had come upon him. He said, “’O that I were as in the months of old,’ and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly!” “As in the days when God watched over me!” [These words] teach that the infant is watched over while it is in its mother's belly. (Job 29:3:) “When His light shone over my head […].” From here you learn that the infant has light in its mother's belly. (Job 29:4:) “When I was in the days of my youth (horef),¹Horef also means “winter.” Buber notes here that in the following simile, the infant in the womb is being protected in the womb as the winter rain protects the soil. when God's company was over my tent.” [These words teach about the infant.] Just as the rain is at work in the soil for it to become muddy, so the infant is muddy in its mother's womb. Another interpretation [of] “when God's company was over my tent”: These words teach about the infant. Just as the infant gets muddy, so is a person muddied by sins, so that misfortunes come upon him. At that time [Job] said (in Job 29:2), “’O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,’ and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly!” What does he finally say (in vs. 4)? “When I was in the days of my youth.” R. Abbahu said, “The infant comes out of the mother's belly covered with slime and covered with blood; yet everyone praises and cherishes it, especially when it is a male.”²Tanh., Lev. 8:11; PRK 9:6. Ergo (in Lev. 12:2), “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.” (Lev. 12:2:) “When a woman emits her seed.” [This text is related to (Ps. 139:5),] “You have formed me behind and before.” The text speaks of the first Adam.³Cf. Gen. R. 8:1; 14:5; Lev. R. 14:1; M. Pss. 139:6. R. Johanan said, “It is written about him that there were two creations. There is a double y (i.e., a double yod in Gen. 2:7), ‘The Lord God formed (yytsr) the human.’ One formation is in this world, and one is for the world to come. But in the case of cattle, wild beasts, and birds, for them [only] one formation is written (without a double y in Gen. 2:19), ‘So out of the earth the Lord God formed (ytsr) all the wild beasts of the field [and all the birds of the heavens].’ It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’” R. Simeon ben Laqish says, “Behind (in the sense of what comes] before the act of [his] creation. What is the reason? It is written (in Gen. 1:2), ‘and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters’; this spirit was the soul of the first Adam. It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’” R. Eleazar ben Pedat says, “Behind [refers] to an [later] event of the sixth day, and before [refers] to an [earlier] event of the sixth day. How so? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, created six things on the sixth day. They were these: (1) the soul; (2) wild beasts; (3) cattle; (4) beasts of the earth; (5) Adam; and (6) Eve. Now Adam's soul was created first, as stated (in Gen. 1:24), ‘a living soul.’ Living soul can only be the soul of Adam, since it is stated (in Gen. 2:7), ‘and the human (Adam) became a living soul.’ Hence, before [refers] to the [first] event of the sixth day, and behind [refers] to the sixth day, since [the Holy One, blessed be He,] was occupied with him all of the sixth day. Ergo (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’ Behind [refers] to an event of the sixth day, and before [refers] to an event of the sixth day.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “What is the meaning of ‘You have formed me behind and before?’ Having two faces, male and female. Hence it says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’”⁴Ber. 61a; ‘Eruv. 18a. Adam said, “After the Holy One, blessed be He, had created all the cattle and wild beasts, He created me.” So it is with the infant. Before it comes forth from its mother's belly, the Holy One, blessed be He, commands it, “Eat of this, do not eat of that, (in Lev. 11:29) ‘this shall be unclean for you.’” Then after it takes upon itself in its mother's belly all the commandments which are in the Torah, [only] after that it is born. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 12:2), “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.”

[(Job 29:3:) WHEN HIS LIGHT SHONE OVER MY HEAD. From here you learn that the infant has light in its mother's belly.]

Another matter, “when a woman conceives” – that is what is written: “I will project [esa] my opinion afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker” (Job 36:3). Rabbi Meir said: This term is employed in two senses; in the sense of song, and in the sense of speech. In the sense of song, regarding the praise of the righteous,⁹As in the verse: “Take up [se’u] the melody and sound the timbrel” (Psalms 81:3). and in the sense of speech, regarding the downfall of the wicked.¹⁰As in the verse: “In another three days Pharaoh shall lift [yisa] your head from upon you” (Genesis 40:19). “Afar’ is stated regarding the distant who drew near.
“I will project my opinion afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.” Rabbi Natan said: One contemplates the name of Abraham our patriarch, the one who came from afar. That is what is written: “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from afar” (Genesis 22:4). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: We contemplate the name of the Holy One blessed be He, as we were distant and He drew us near to Him. Rabbi Ḥagai said: Matters that are distant from us a journey of five hundred years, as people are asleep on their beds, and the Holy One blessed be He causes winds to blow, clouds to rise, rains to fall, and plants to grow, and he dries them and sets a table before each and every one.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Idi said in the name of Rav Aḥa: This verse, if Elihu said it on his own, [he is entitled to] praise. If he said it inspired by the Divine Spirit, [he is entitled to] the praise of praises. Rabbi Levi said three things, [the first of which is]: The way of the world is that if a person deposits a purse of silver in private and [the other individual] returns a litra of gold in public, does he not feel a debt of gratitude toward him? So it is with the Holy One blessed be He, people deposit a putrid drop in private and the Holy One blessed be He returns completed, high quality human beings in public.¹¹The midrash is describing the process of conception and birth. Is this not worthy of praise? That is, “I will project my opinion afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.”
Rabbi Levi said another thing: The way of the world is that when a person is incarcerated in prison, no one pays attention to him. If one would come and kindle a lamp for him there, would [the prisoner] not feel a debt of gratitude toward him? So it is with the Holy One blessed be He; the fetus is situated in his mother’s womb and the Holy One blessed be He kindles a lamp for him. That is what Job said: “When His lamp would shine over my head” (Job 29:3). Is this not praise? That is: “And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.”
Rabbi Levi said another thing: The way of the world is that when a person is incarcerated in prison, no one pays attention to him. If one would come and free him, and take him out of there, would [the prisoner] not feel a debt of gratitude toward him? So, the fetus is situated in his mother’s womb and the Holy One blessed be He comes and frees him and takes him out of there.