Washing Hands: Morning Berakha or Eating Bread Prerequisite?

The Rashba (Shlomo ibn Adret, 13^th century) was asked:

Why do we make the be’rakha, ‘al netilat yadayim, when we get up in the morning?  Isn’t this a requirement before eating bread? 

The Rashba in Teshuva 191 says that netilat yadayim is indeed for eating bread and he suggests that we say this berkha in the morning as well because we are like new creations when we get up from sleep.  As the pasuk says: chadashim la’bekarim, rabbah eh’mu’na’te’kha, meaning: We are like new creations when we awaken after a night of sleep.  Hence, all of the birkot ha’sha’char, morning blessings are recited to help make us aware of the miracle of a new creation-like experience when we are reborn every day.  The Kohen, before he started his avodah every day, would wash at the ki’yor to purify and sanctify himself.  So, we too, in imitation of the Kohen we purify and sanctify ourselves before we start our avodah for the day.  

We are a mam’lekh’et kohanim and an ‘am kadosh, kingdom of priests and a holy nation that has to prepare itself each new day to perform our avodah as defined by the Torah in our life and in the absence of the beit hamikdash our shuls, are our mikdash me’at.

The Rashba concludes:  May we live to see the day of the beit hamikdash rebuilt where the Kohen can once again sanctify himself with washing at the ki’yor, saying al netilat yadayim.