rsync not creating all subdirectories

[xyzijk]

I have the following rsync line in a Linux system:

rsync --delete -avhx --filter="- Cache" --files-from=- / /HardDrive/B.1 >> /tmp/B1.log <<- EOI
/home/xyz/.mozilla/
/home/xyz/bin/
/home/xyz/.thunderbird/
/etc/hosts
/etc/fstab
/etc/rc.d/
EOI

On executing this, the directories and files specified in stdin are copied to /HardDrive/B.1, with B.1 being created as needed. However, not all subdirectories are copied. For example, under /home/xyz/.thunderbird I have the following directories:

Crash\ Reports
default.md0
appreg
profiles.ini

The first two are directories, the last two are files.

The files are copied correctly. However, the directories are empty, despite of the fact that the original directories contain numerous files (and subdirectories.)

Why is rsync not copying those entries? It is not a permissions problem, for the command is executed by root. Also, it is not a problem peculiar to this specific directory - it happens to the other entries in stdin. Anybody have any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

[xyzijk]

I have just learned that when using --files-from, the -a option does not imply recursion - i.e. one has to add the -r option explicitly.