  In the introduction to ha-Emunah ha-Ramah (henceforth: ER) Abraham Ibn Daud states that he decided to write his book in order to solve the problem of free will. Scripture fails to provide an unequivocal answer to this problem, since biblical verses on this issue seem to contradict one another. Ibn Daud is convinced that philosophy can help to distinguish between the verses that should be understood literally and those that are in need of interpretation. In his view, the problem in his day is that those who have begun to study philosophy are unable to keep the lamps of philosophy and religion burning simultaneously “for if the lamp of philosophy is kindled, the lamp of religion goes out” (ER W 2; S  3b-4b).[1]  This is why certain people believe that it is better to steer well clear of the study of philosophy. The consequence thereof is that many Jews are at a loss when it comes to solving religious problems, such as the problem of free will. According to Ibn Daud, this is because they fail to investigate the principles of religion with the help of philosophy and to search for the harmony between the two modes of knowledge. His book intends to remedy this situation by showing beginning students of philosophy how to establish such harmony.