How can Torah be compared to fire (“ki ner mitzvah v’Torah ohr”) and water (“poter mayim reishit madon”), as these two elements can’t be mixed together? Though it’s true that the fire of barad existed within the water, that was an exception where the fire and water made shalom to carry out God’s will. If we take a holistic approach, we could suggest that fire, the toil of Torah, effectuates libun on the soul and burns out all of its impurities and goes toward mitigating yissurin. Water, though, like a mikvah, refines a person from the outside as he immerses in the yam haTalmud. In this way fire and water can together achieve a tocho kiboro environment.