“Speak to the Bnei Yisroel saying: When a woman gets pregnant and gives birth to a male...”
The Gemarah in Nidah tells us that when a baby is in his mother’s womb, a Malach teaches him the whole Torah. Just before he is born, an angel touches him on the mouth and makes him forget all the Torah that he learned.
Harav Elya Meir Bloch zatzal asks, why do they teach the baby only once he is in his mother’s womb? Why not teach all souls before they are even in the physical body? [Whoa! Great question!] Additionally, what is the purpose of teaching the baby the whole Torah if it is all forgotten before he is born?
Harav Elya Meir answers that a neshama does not have any connection to this world until it is in a physical body, and is therefore not able to comprehend any of the Torah. Only a baby in his mother’s womb is able to understand - as he prepares to be born. Although he will forget this Torah as he is being born, it is very important that he once learned this Torah, as it gives him the ability to relearn it once he is born.
With this, we can understand why the Gemarah in Moed Katan writes that if someone is present when a person passes away, he must tear his clothing, similar to someone who tears his clothing over a burnt Sefer Torah. Since each person has within him the ability to learn the entire Torah and subconsciously has the remnants from once having learned the Torah, this makes each and every person as holy as a Sefer Torah.
