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Notice Beginning on the 6th establishes the 6th as the tonal center. This could be overridden if the melody or harmony demonstrated a goal of reaching the tonic note of the major key. Yet, without these things present, the 6th can remain the tonal center. And remember, the scale itself isn't supposed to be a whole composition - it's simply the set of notes. Playing the scale ascending may not give us a strong resolution when we hit the tonic note, but a cleverly designed melody against a harmony that establishes the minor tonality will find a strong resolution on the tonic note. The minor scale features a perfect 4th and perfect 5th, like the major scale, which assists in allowing it to establish its own tonality. The minor tonality may not be as strong as the major, but that 's kind of the point. We want the minor key to sound different, to sound a little more tense, even when we reach the tonic note. The m3 and m6 intervals are less harmonic than the M3 and M6. On the other hand, the m7 is more harmonic than the M7. Overall, there is more dissonance, making thekey less "settling".
→Understanding Minor Tonality
In many respects, we do get pulled to the note; but because we are starting on the 6th note of the major scale, ascending we hit the 7th immediately, before a real tonality is established. Descending we reach the tonic note of the major scale before that 7th.