Charity is a commandment/mitzvah. So too, is visiting the sick and caring for the infirm.
When Hashem commanded Man to care for the needy - did He do so because He empathized with their needs?
Positively not. Genesis - the story of creation, refers to God in His name of Elokim: His name of justice. God (originally), sought to create this world in the spirit of pure justice: where reward was payment for good, where punishment was the repayment of bad - and where both were immediate - and absolute.
Pity - going beyond justice - was not intended for a divine role.
Man was given Mitzvos, rather, as edicts. Man was commanded - by the divine - to pity his needing fellow Man. He was directed - by God - to care for the infirm and uphold the poor.
(Maharal: Tiferes Yisroel; Chapter 6)
Hashem gave the Jewish People Torah: which comprises 613 root mitzvos\laws.
Is this large number [of Mitzvos] to our gain - or would we have been better off with fewer Mitzvos?
To simple observation, fewer laws would have allowed Man to gain reward for positive action - with less effort and diligence.
The contrary is true. We are better off with a larger number of laws. The Jewish people were created with a metaphysical ability to receive Torah: that it is 613-strand, prepares us for a closer, more comprehensive, connection to God.
- (Maharal: Tiferes Yisroel; chapter 5)
There are 613 commandments in Torah: 248 positive and 365 negative.
Why are the commandments set up in these specific numbers?
There are two goals to Mitzvos (commandments). One is to keep the existing order of creation: not to damage the structure of life - and morals - the world was created with. The second, is to input positive - kindness, charity, prayer, etc. - into the world.
The natural order is kept by keeping away from the negative. By not transgressing the negative commandments, we stay within these boundaries. That is why there are 365: the natural, physical cycle of life - is 365 (days).
The input of positive into this world - is the role of the positive commandments. These are Man's active duty. Thus, there are 248: the number of limbs in his body.
Together, the positive - and the safeguard against the negative - are our mission to perfect the world.
- (Maharal: Tiferes Yisroel; chapter 5)
