An institution where Talmudic scholars are given free lodging, and often a stipend in addition, in order that they may devote all their time to the study of the Talmud (sometimes also to teaching and lecturing). From the seventeenth century it became a custom for wealthy people to donate funds for the perpetual maintenance of such institutions (called sometimes see BET HA-MIDRASH). It is said (Gans, "?ema? Dawid," part , ad 5352 [1592]) that Rabbi L�w ben Bezaleel founded the klaus of Prague, which is still in existence, though used only as a synagogue. The klaus at Vienna was founded by Zechariah Levi in 1656 (Kaufmann, "Letzte Vertreibung der Juden aus Wien," p. 67, Vienna, 1889); and a similar institution was established at Altona about 1690, when ?ebi Ashkenazi was in office (Emden, "Megillat Sefer," p. 11, Warsaw, 1896), to which Benjamin Levy of London bequeathed a legacy in 1704 ("Jewish Chronicle," July 31, 1903). Bermann (Berent Lehmann) of Halberstadt founded in 1703 the klaus still existing in that city (Auerbach, "Gesch. der J�dischen Gemeinde Halberstadt," pp. 61 et seq., Halberstadt, 1866); Lemle Moses Reinganum founded that of Mannheim, 1706 (L�wenstein, "Gesch. der Juden in der Kurpfalz," pp. 170 et seq., Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1895): its funds are at present used for the maintenance of a second rabbi. About the same time Samson Wertheimer founded a klaus at Frankfort-on-the-Main (Kaufmann, "Samson Wertheimer," p. 72, Vienna, 1888). Jost Liebmann and his wife, Esther, founded in Berlin a klaus for their nephew and son-in-law, Aaron ben Benjamin Wolf, about 1701, which was discontinued about 1712. Somewhat later Veitel-Heine Ephraim founded in the same city a klaus which is still in existence, although under entirely different rules, and known as the "Veitel-Heine Ephraim'sche Lehranstalt." The Breslau, Hanover, Lissa, and other German congregations possess institutions of the same kind. In Wolfenb�ttel various members of the Samson family founded similar institutions; these in 1807 were united to form a school which is still in existence as a Jewish high school (Ehrenberg, "Die Samson'sche Freischule," in "Orient, Lit." 1844, No. 5; separately printed, Leipsic, 1844; Zunz, "Samuel Meyer Ehrenberg," Brunswick, 1853). In Leghorn, which had a wealthy Jewish community, various institutions existed intended to support prebendaries who should devote their lives to Talmudic studies, occasionally delivering lectures; as was often the case in other parts of Europe, with such an institution, called "midrash" or "bet ha-midrash," a synagogue was usually connected. In the midrash founded by Franco, Elijah Benamozegh held a position (Sokolow, "Sefer Zikkaron," pp. 128 et seq., Warsaw, 1889). Wealthy members of the Leghorn community often supported such a midrash in Jerusalem (?AGIZ, JACOB, and ?agiz,Moses), and Oriental Jews still maintain similar institutions there (Luncz, "Lua? Ere? Yisrael, 5661," p. 140, Jerusalem, 1900).
A modern institution of a similar character was founded by Sir Moses Montefiore in Ramsgate in 1869. It was for a short time a college for the education of rabbis; but now, although still maintained under the name "Judith Montefiore Theological College," it is merely a home for rabbinical scholars (Harris, "Jewish Year Book," 1903).
The ?asidim call their synagogue "klaus"; and each of their miracle-workers maintains a klaus of his own, as do also his followers in other cities.