Devarim 12:19

19 Be shomer to thyself that thou forsake not the Levi as long as thou livest upon ha’aretz.

Devarim 12:19 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:19

Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite
By withholding from him the tithes appointed for his maintenance; or rather by neglecting to take him with him in order to partake of the feast or entertainment before spoken of:

as long as thou livest upon the earth;
so that it was not one time only, but always; whenever he ate these holy things before the Lord, as long as he lived, he was to be careful he had the Levite with him, for a reason given, ( Deuteronomy 12:12 ) .

Devarim 12:19 In-Context

17 Thou mayest not eat within thy she’arim the ma’aser (tithe) of thy dagan (grain), or of thy tirosh (new wine), or of thy yitzhar (fresh oil), or the bekhorot (firstlings) of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy nedarim (vows) which thou vowest, nor thy nedavot (freewill offerings), or terumah (heave offering) of thine hand;

18 But thou must eat them before Hashem Eloheicha in the place which Hashem Eloheicha shall choose, thou, and thy ben, and thy bat, and thy eved, and thy amah, and the Levi that is within thy she’arim; and thou shalt rejoice before Hashem Eloheicha in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

19 Be shomer to thyself that thou forsake not the Levi as long as thou livest upon ha’aretz.

20 When Hashem Eloheicha shall enlarge thy border, as He hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat basar, because thy nefesh longeth to eat basar; thou mayest eat basar, whatsoever thy nefesh desireth after.

21 If the place which Hashem Eloheicha hath chosen to put Shmo there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which Hashem hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy she’arim whatsoever thy nefesh desireth after.