Is there a key command to shift Apple Mail focus to top? This one drives me crazy...

If you search in Apple Mail, you likely end up way back in time in your list of emails. When I am ready to read new email I have to scroll, scroll, scroll to the top of the list again.

There HAS to be a key command or something I am missing to instantly jump to the top of the list.

Is there?
You should be able to press the Home key (Fn + ← left arrow key on a laptop) to go to the top.

Alternatively, if you have a multi touch trackpad, you can use BetterTouchTool to set a gesture for Home and End. I personally think this is the best way, and I set a three fingered swipe down to Home and a three fingered swipe up to End