 While the works composed during Del Medigo’s stay in Italy concern themes in Aristotelian natural sciences and metaphysics, Beḥinat ha-Dat may be described as meta-philosophical, as it discusses the relation between rational discourse and revealed religion. Del Medigo begins his discussion by presenting his main motivation in composing the work: to determine whether the study of philosophy is permissible, forbidden, or mandatory (Del Medigo 2013: 292). His conclusion (2013: 292–93) is that while the study of philosophy is not obligatory as such, it is mandatory for those who are capable of engaging in philosophical speculation. Such engagement will strengthen the student’s belief, as the philosophical sciences concern created beings, and the knowledge of created beings leads to the knowledge of the creator (2013: 294). Del Medigo emphasises that philosophical speculation alone is insufficient from a religious standpoint, as the Jewish philosopher still shares with the masses a belief in the words and instructions of the Torah (2013: 294). The philosopher ought to supply the true interpretation of the biblical narrative, to be circulated only among those capable of philosophical reflection (2013: 294). Exceptions are the fundamental tenets of the Jewish belief, the validity of which ought not be grounded in reason, let alone questioned. Such tenets, which are beyond the reach of philosophical speculation, are the possibility of prophecy, reward and punishment, and the possibility of miracles (2013: 310).