Refactoring?

after.rb

def find_previous_table_for(element)
  find_previous_sibling_of_type(element, 'table')
end

def find_previous_sibling_of_type(element, element_type_to_find)
  previous_siblings(element).find do |previous_element|
    previous_element.node_name == element_type_to_find
  end
end

def previous_siblings(element)
  Enumerator.new do |yielder|
    while (element = element.previous_element).present?
      yielder.yield element
    end
  end
end

before.rb

def find_previous_table_for(element)
  table = nil
  previous_element = element.previous_element()
  while table.nil? && !previous_element.nil?
    if previous_element.node_name == 'table'
      table = previous_element
    end
    previous_element = previous_element.previous_element()
  end
  
  table
end