WHY DID GOD GIVE THE ISRAELITES DIETARY LAWS? Well, it certainly included a practical side: Before refrigerators, God knew safe storage of shell fish might not work well in the desert. In fact, it would lead to more last suppers. The dietary laws were also one of God's many ways to use Israel as an object lesson for all people. Israel was to be a light unto the nations. Their actions at God's prompting sent messages to the world about problems everyone has that need to be fixed. When made aware of those issues, hopefully people would come to God for the fix. Those particular laws in Leviticus were also to point out that God is clean and we are unclean. Again, God also gave Israel the dietary laws to make Israelites stand out on purpose.