A juristic ruling is distinct from a principle of legal inference. Whether a transaction is permissible is a particular ruling. Interpreting the language of a proof, evaluating its generality, and determining how analogy operates are methodological tasks.
For instance, a stated number in a scriptural text raises questions about its precise meaning and whether another proof can affect it. Translation alone does not settle the status of the evidence.
Legal theory therefore concerns practical rulings while focusing on the reasoning used to establish them.