The 16 Upper Teeth Allude to the 16 Aliyot to the Torah the Sixteen Lower Teeth Allude to the 16 Tamid Offerings
Now, I would like to propose my own explanation of the Gra’s enigmatic words. The Shela hakadosh (Beha’aloscha 9) brings down a fascinating interpretation from one of the Rishonim, the author of the Rokeiach, of two pesukim in Shir HaShirim where HKB”H extols the virtues of the congregation of Yisrael by referring to their teeth. The first passuk is (Shir HaShirim 4, 2):
"שיניך כעדר הקצובות שעלו מן הרחצה שכולם מתאימות ושכולה אין בהם"—your teeth are like a well-numbered flock of ewes that came up from the washing pool, all of which are perfect, and none among them are blemished. The second passuk is (ibid. 6, 6): "שיניך כעדר הרחלים שעלו מן הרחצה שכולם מתאימות ושכולה אין בהם"—your teeth are like a flock of ewes that came up from the washing pool, all of which are perfect and none of them is missing.
According to the Rokeiach, these two pesukim allude to the Torah and the avodah of the korbanos that sustain the world. That the Torah sustains the world is stated explicitly in the Gemara (Shabbas 88a):
"מאי דכתיב ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום ה'שישי, ה"א יתירה למה לי, מלמד שהתנה הקדוש ברוך הוא עם מעשה בראשית ואמר להם, אם ישראל מקבלים התורה אתם מתקיימין, ואם לאו אני מחזיר אתכם לתוהו ובוהו". What is the meaning of that which is written (Bereishis 1, 31): “And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day (יום ה'שישי)”? Why do I need the extra letter “hei”? It teaches us that HKB”H stipulated with the works of creation, saying to them: “If Yisrael accept the Torah, you will endure; but if they do not, I will return you to a state of total void and chaos.”
The fact that the continued existence of the world hinges on the avodah of the korbanos, even when the Beis HaMikdash is not extant, is taught in the following Gemara (Megillah 31b):
Avraham said to HKB”H, “Master of the Universe, Perhaps, chas v’shalom, Yisrael will sin before You, and You will do to them as to the generation of the mabul and the generation of the dispersion.” He said, “No!” He (Avraham Avinu) said to Him, “Master of the Universe, “How will I know?” He (Hashem) said to him (Bereishis 15, 9): “Bring to Me a three-year-old calf . . .” (hinting that He would forgive Yisrael for their transgressions in the merit of the korbanos). He (Avraham) said to Him, “Master of the Universe, that is fine for the times that the Beis HaMikdash is in existence, but in the times that the Beis HaMikdash will not be in existence, what will be with them?” He (Hashem) said to him, “I have already established for them the order of korbanos (in Scriptures). Whenever they read from them, I will consider it as if they were bringing Me a korban, and I will forgive them for all their sins.”
Based on this, the Rokeiach says that one set of 16 teeth represents the 16 lambs that Yisrael offered weekly for the korban Tamid. How so? Every day of the week, Yisrael offered two korban Tamids, one in the morning and one in the evening. This accounts for fourteen korbanos. On Shabbas Kodesh, they offered two more lambs, as it is written (Bamidbar 28, 9): "וביום השבת שני כבשים בני שנה תמימים"—and on the Shabbas day, two male lambs in their first year, unblemished. Altogether, we now have a total of 16 lambs alluded to by the 16 teeth. This prompted HKB”H to praise Yisrael as follows: “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes”—alluding to the flock of sheep offered by Yisrael every week.
The other set of 16 teeth represents the number of men called up to the Torah each week. How so? Three men are called up on Monday, three on Thursday, seven on Shabbas morning, and three more at Minchah on Shabbas. Altogether, they total 16; they are alluded to by the other 16 teeth. This prompted the following praise from HKB”H: “Your teeth are like a well-numbered flock”—they allude to the established number of men called up to the Torah on any normal week.
As to which group of teeth corresponds to which of the above, we can suggest the following. We are taught in the Gemara (Eiruvin 63b): "גדול תלמוד תורה יותר מהקרבת תמידין"—the study of Torah is greater than the offering of the Tamids. Accordingly, we can suggest that the 16 upper teeth represent the 16 men called up to the Torah in a given week, whereas the 16 lower teeth represent the 16 weekly korban Tamids.
