English: "You shall not forsake him" — this teaches that if he has no ma’aser rishon, give him ma’aser sheni; if he has no ma’aser sheni, give him ma’aser ani; if he has no ma’aser ani, give him shelamim; if he has no shelamim, support him from tzedakah.
On the daf / in context: Because the Levi has no territorial inheritance, the community is obligated to provide for him through successive levels of sacred and charitable gifts.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — successive obligations toward the Levi.
What Is Learned
One must not leave the Levi without support; if the primary gifts are unavailable one supplies the next available form of assistance down to ordinary tzedakah.